City’s highways get a clean sweep

BMC launches a cleanliness drive from March 17-22 to enhance traffic flow on Mumbai's WEH and EEH, clearing debris, abandoned vehicles, and more.

MUMBAI: The municipality has launched an initiative to spruce up the Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH), and clear away obstacles to the flow of traffic along these two arterial roads that extend along the length of Mumbai’s suburbs, and beyond.

City’s highways get a clean sweep

Starting Monday night, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) focused on removing abandoned vehicles, clearing other obstacles, cleaning the roads with mechanised sweeping, sprucing up central medians and removing encroachments.

Apart from the highways themselves, the initiative focuses on service roads, ramps and other areas. The campaign extends from 10 pm to 6 am, from March 17 to March 22. It kicked off at Sion on the EEH and Bandra on the WEH.

On the first day, 16.3km of roads were cleaned—8.8km on the EEH (covering M-West, N, and L wards), and 7.8km on the WEH (covering H-East and K-East wards).

During this initial phase, 25tonnes of road debris, 4tonnes of garbage and 5.5tonnes of other waste was collected and disposed of. A total of 16 mechanical cleaning machines, including mechanical sweepers, litter pickers, misting machines, dumpers and water tankers were deployed.

Mechanical sweepers are being used for dust removal, while jetting and pressure-washing machines assist with thorough cleaning. Additionally, road signs, intersection signage and directional signs are being cleaned and painted.

The cleanliness drive also involves clearing garbage from trash bins along the highways, removing debris from fences around plants and trees, painting tree trunks, improving seating arrangements at bus stops, removing obstructions, cleaning and repairing public garbage bins, ensuring regular cleaning of public restrooms, and addressing the issue of abandoned vehicles that block roads. The campaign also includes the removal of paver blocks, painting and repairing dividers, as well as the removal of unauthorised signs and hoardings.

Deputy commissioner, solid waste management, Kiran Dighavkar, said that on March 18, cleaning will take place along the 90-foot road from Ghatkopar to Vikhroli and from Andheri to Kandivali. On March 19, the focus will be on the 90-foot road from Vikhroli to the Mulund check naka, and from Kandivali to the Dahisar check naka.

On March 20, cleaning will be carried out from Sion to Ghatkopar and from Bandra to Andheri. On March 21, it will continue on the 90-ft road from Ghatkopar to Vikhroli and from Andheri to Kandivali. Finally, on March 22, the focus will shift to the 90-foot road from Vikhroli to the Mulund check naka and from Kandivali to the Dahisar check naka, along with the connecting roads.