Install dividers on Sion flyovers: Police to MMRDA, BMC

Following a spate of accidents on the two flyovers at Sion junction and near Sion Hospital, the Mumbai Police have written to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), asking them to install dividers and take other precautionary steps to prevent mishaps.

The letter, written by Lalita Gaikwad, senior inspector of Sion police station, stated that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road leads to two flyovers connecting south Mumbai and the eastern suburbs. In the letter, Gaikwad said that although both the Sion junction flyover and the flyover near Sion Hospital cater to a huge flow of traffic originating from Thane and Panvel, there is no divider separating the vehicle lanes. According to Gaikwad, most of the accidents are owing to the absence of dividers as drivers tend to overtake and end up dashing into other vehicles coming from the opposite direction. “Also, boundary walls on both sides should be built, so that motorists do not fall down from the bridges. There should be a sign board instructing motorist to maintain specified speed limit and cautioning them against overtaking and lane-cutting,” the letter stated.

A copy of the letter has been marked to the civic officials concerned. “We asked the authorities to take precautionary measures and build dividers as overtaking causes most of the accidents,” said Gaikwad.

The flyover at Sion junction was originally built for the vehicles moving towards the north. However, later, owing to massive traffic at Sion Circle, a lane on the bridge was then allocated to traffic moving towards south, without a divider.