Ghodbunder Road repairs to slow traffic, again

TMC criticised for using mastic asphalt on the 700-metre stretch; activists claim the plan was to use concrete

THANE: Motorists using Ghodbunder Road must brace for traffic gridlock once again, with the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) about the repair a 700-metre stretch from the octroi post to the police chowky in Gaimukh.

The 700-metre stretch from the octroi post to the police chowky in Gaimukh is uneven and riddled with potholes, causing traffic jams. Repair work is set to begin on November 10. (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

Tenders have been invited, with the deadline being October 31. The repair work, which is expected to start on November 10, will last for a week to ten days, said civic officials.

The stretch is uneven and almost always riddled with potholes, slowing traffic movement and causing vehicles to back up for long stretches in both directions. It has also increased the risk of accidents.

Ghodbunder Road spans 14 km, the stretch between Majiwada and Gaimukh falling under Thane municipal limits, while the section from Gaimukh to the Ahmedabad Highway falls under the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s (MBMC) jurisdiction.

On October 12, this arterial road witnessed three to five hours of traffic chaos, when the MBMC initiated repair work within its jurisdiction, from the Ahmedabad Highway junction to Gaimukh. On Sunday, a truck carrying heavy machinery toppled on the road, adding to the chaos on this arterial road.

Girish Patil, a local transport activist, said, “We have held several meetings with the MBMC and TMC commissioners and requested them to concretise the entire Gaimukh stretch. Both of them assured us they would but, once again, they have floated tenders for an asphalt road. Unless this stretch is concretised, the problem will not be resolved,”

He added, “The municipalities are wasting public money and effort, making life difficult for commuters. Due to repeated repair work using asphalt, the Gaimukh Ghat section has become dangerous as constant layering has increased the road’s elevation and slope, making it difficult for motorists to manoeuvre.”

Aadish Mehrotra, a Ghodbunder Road resident, said, “We have observed that the recent repair work done by MBMC and TMC are of substandard quality. The upper layer of the road has already started eroding. These agencies should ensure quality materials are used. The patchwork done recently has already been washed away in the rains, causing potholes to reappear.”

Sanjay Kadam, executive engineer, TMC, told HT, “We have issued a tender for repairing the 700-metre stretch between Gaimukh Jakat Naka and Gaimukh police chowky, which is uneven. The exact dates will be finalised after discussions with the Thane Traffic Police, as traffic diversions and management will be required. The repair work will be carried out in different patches, closing one lane at a time to ensure continuous traffic movement.”