Kandivali Subway Project Completed, Ending Traffic Woes on WEH
Kandivali Subway Project Completed, Ending Traffic Woes on WEH
Mumbai motorists can finally enjoy smoother drives on the Western Express Highway (WEH) as the long-awaited completion of the Akurli subway widening project at Kandivali brings a much-needed traffic reprieve. The extensive work, which spanned nearly two years, is now finished, and the barricades that had restricted the highway have been removed.
Previously, the north-bound carriageway of the highway was reduced to just two lanes due to the subway construction, creating severe congestion for vehicles traveling from south mumbai and Bandra to the western suburbs like Borivali and Dahisar. To manage the overflow, traffic police occasionally opened two additional lanes on the opposite side during peak hours, which only led to further delays and traffic jams on the south-bound carriageway as well.
Motorists had reported significant delays, with travel times between Malad and Kandivali extending from 20 minutes to over an hour, particularly around the Samata nagar police station junction.
The mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had undertaken the widening of the Akurli subway, which links Kandivli station to the highway and Lokhandwala residential area. The project data-faced delays due to an unexpected discovery of a 300mm diameter gas pipeline on the Borivali side, which needed relocation to complete the work.
Union minister and newly elected mumbai North mp Piyush Goyal, along with mla Atul Bhatkhalkar, MMRDA officials, and local residents, inspected the site earlier this month. Goyal celebrated the completion, stating, “Today is a significant day for North mumbai and the entire city. I have witnessed the severe traffic problems on the Western Express Highway and made a commitment during the election period that, within the first 100 days of the new government under PM Modi’s third term, we would expedite the work and resolve these traffic issues, bringing relief to Mumbai's daily commuters.”
Mumbai motorists can finally enjoy smoother drives on the Western Express Highway (WEH) as the long-awaited completion of the Akurli subway widening project at Kandivali brings a much-needed traffic reprieve. The extensive work, which spanned nearly two years, is now finished, and the barricades that had restricted the highway have been removed.
Previously, the north-bound carriageway of the highway was reduced to just two lanes due to the subway construction, creating severe congestion for vehicles traveling from south mumbai and Bandra to the western suburbs like Borivali and Dahisar. To manage the overflow, traffic police occasionally opened two additional lanes on the opposite side during peak hours, which only led to further delays and traffic jams on the south-bound carriageway as well.
Motorists had reported significant delays, with travel times between Malad and Kandivali extending from 20 minutes to over an hour, particularly around the Samata nagar police station junction.
The mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had undertaken the widening of the Akurli subway, which links Kandivli station to the highway and Lokhandwala residential area. The project data-faced delays due to an unexpected discovery of a 300mm diameter gas pipeline on the Borivali side, which needed relocation to complete the work.
Union minister and newly elected mumbai North mp Piyush Goyal, along with mla Atul Bhatkhalkar, MMRDA officials, and local residents, inspected the site earlier this month. Goyal celebrated the completion, stating, “Today is a significant day for North mumbai and the entire city. I have witnessed the severe traffic problems on the Western Express Highway and made a commitment during the election period that, within the first 100 days of the new government under PM Modi’s third term, we would expedite the work and resolve these traffic issues, bringing relief to Mumbai's daily commuters.”