Mumbai: Metro body does its bit to ease city’s monsoon suffering

A traffic snarl caused by Metro 2A work at DN Nagar, Andheri, on July 3, 2021. Pic/Satej Shinde; (right) the stretch near Milan subway on Thursday after Metro barricades were removed. Pic/Aishwarya Deodhar

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Thursday revealed that about 33,922 barricades have been removed on nearly 84 km of roads, creating more space for traffic movement amid the monsoon. The placement of barricades will now be reviewed every 15 days.

The MMRDA has been working on building a 337-km-long Metro rail network throughout the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and had set up a total of 152.86 km of barricades across several lines - including 2B, 4, 4A, 5, 6, 7A and 9 - 60 per cent of which have now been removed. Recognising that barricades are necessary for the safety of citizens during construction projects, the MMRDA has taken measures to install them in a manner that takes up minimal space.

The area near Milan subway at Vile Parle on Thursday. Pic/Aishwarya Deodhar

"Our team has successfully removed over 33,000 barricades within a month and we will continue to review the project and barricades every 15 days. These initiatives aim to enhance the overall experience of citizens and mitigate disruptions caused by the monsoon," Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said.

An official said, "The decision will provide substantial relief to citizens by ensuring smoother commuting experiences during the monsoon period. The removal of the barriers has resulted in the clearance of 84.806 km (42 km one-way) of two-way roads, opening up more space for traffic. The restructuring effort involved modifying a total of 3,352 barricades."

Metro barricades are nowhere to be seen on the stretch from JVLR junction to Powai on Thursday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

The barricades have been removed from key locations such as Eastern Express Highway (EEH), Western Express Highway (WEH), Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), SV Road, VN Purv Marg (Chembur Naka), New Link Road, Gulmohar Road, MG Road, Ghodbunder Road, Kapur Bawadi, Balkum, Dahisar, Mira Road, Bhayander, Thane, Teen Hath Naka, JVLR, Infinity Mall, Powai, Kanjur Marg, and Mankhurd along the under-construction Metro lines. This strategic step has cleared one lane on both sides of the project for traffic.

The vicinity of Jio World Drive at Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East is shorn of barriers on Thursday. Pic/Satej Shinde

Works and opened-up stretches

Yellow Line 2B
SV Road (Milan Subway Junction to Bandra) - 2.54 km
Diamond Garden to BARC flyover - 1.408 km
Gulmohar Road (Juhu Circle to Mithibhai college) - 1.767 km
SV Road (Vile Parle junction to Milan subway) - 1.057 km
BKC Road (Kalanagar to MTNL) - 1.536 km
Sion-Panvel Highway (BARC FLYOVER to Mankhurd flyover) - 1.459 km

Green Line 4 & 4A
90 Feet Road - 3.990 km
Ghodbunder Road - 4 km
Eastern Express Highway (EEH) - 4.726 km
LBS road - 15 km
Depot Road - 1.154km

Orange Line 5
Kapurbawdi to Balkum - 1.553 km
Balkumnaka To Anjurphata -7.573 km
Anjur Phata to Dhamankar Naka - 2.033 km

Pink Line 6
JVLR (WEH junction to Mahakali caves) - 4.30 km
JVLR (Mahakali caves to Powai lake) - 4.19 km
JVLR (Powai Lake-Vikhroli-Kanjur Marg Depot on EEH) - 6.5 km

Red Line 9
Ovaripada junction to Dahisar toll naka - 1.648 km
Toll naka to Delta junction - 1.7 km

3,352
No of barricades modified