Mumbai: Heavy traffic on NH-48 ahead of PM Modi's visit

A huge backlog of traffic was observed on the MumbaiAhmedabad Highway on Saturday morning with both lanes heavily congested between Versova Bridge and the new Fountain Hotel on NH48 Activists criticized the authorities for failing to implement effective measures to ensure smooth traffic flow ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modirsquos visit to Mumbai and ThaneSources in the traffic police of Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police told MidDay that the heavy vehicles coming from the Gujarat side were not diverted by the concerned authorities in Palghar district leading to a complete choke on both arms Above all the ongoing white topping work on the stretch is adding problems for the commuters who are stuck in the jam for hoursAn activist Sushant Patil said that all the vehicles heavy as well as light vehicles have been stopped by the traffic police at Fountain Junction ldquoNo vehicles are allowed to go to Thane on the Ghodbundar Road Many vehicles have been stuck since morning There are a few ambulances and school buses too are stuck in the heavy jamrdquo Patil told MidDayldquoThe Palghar Collector should have stopped heavy vehicles at Talasari or Manor but no such initiative was taken by him resultant of which commuters are facing major inconvenience on NH48rdquo Patil addedldquoThe traffic officials of MBVV police are not allowing small vehicles coming from Gujarat side to go to Thane via Fountain junction There is a major chaos at present which will dent the image of PM But this traffic chaos is just because of improper decisions taken by Palghar collector and MBVV policerdquo underscored Patil who is planning to write a letter to PMO requesting to take action against the failure of Palghar Collector and MBVV police causing hundreds of vehicles to stuck in a jam on important stretch connecting Maharashtra and GujaratWhen contacted Palghar Collector Govind Bodake said ldquoWe had issued a traffic notification to divert the route of the heavy vehicles ahead of the PM visit I am not sure if it was executed by the Palghar police or notrdquoThe Superintendent of Palghar police Balasaheb Patil said ldquoWe had received a clear notification that most of the heavy vehicles coming from Gujarat should be diverted from Manor to Vikramgarh to Wada and then Nashik Road sans disturbing traffic on NH48 ahead of PM visit Though the diversions were made this one is a small stretch unlike ChinchotiBhiwandi road which is wider for heavy vehiclesrdquoldquoAbove all a bridge on the Vaitarna river on the ManorWada stretch is extremely weak and it cannot sustain the movement of heavy vehicles The PWD has also suggested we stop the movement of heavy vehicles as it cannot afford the load So we cannot afford to divert heavy vehicles on this stretch Hence the heavy vehicles should have been diverted from Chinchoti Naka on NH48 towards Bhiwandi and Chinchoti Naka falls under the jurisdiction of MBVV policerdquo Patil told middayThe Deputy Commissioner of Police traffic in Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar MBVV police Suhas Bavche told MidDay that the notification was issued ahead of the PM visit ldquoAt present more than 100 traffic personnel have been deployed to regulate the traffic on MumbaiAhmedabad highwayrdquo said DCP BavcheldquoThe light motor vehicles are allowed to go towards Thane to make the traffic seamless The ongoing white topping work on the stretch is adding difficulties in regulating the trafficrdquo he added