Traffic snarls on Sion-Panvel highway after easing lockdown

Following the relaxations announced by the state government in some regions where the Covid situation has improved, non-essential shops have been allowed to open from 7am to 2pm on weekdays in both Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) regions

Following the relaxations announced by the state government in some regions where the Covid situation has improved, non-essential shops have been allowed to open from 7am to 2pm on weekdays in both Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) regions. This, however, has led to traffic congestion along the Sion-Panvel highway, near the Vashi toll naka on Tuesday.

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The traffic snarls stretched up to Vashi village, which is around a three-and-half kilometre away from the toll naka. The problem was further complicated by the nakabandis conducted by the Mumbai Police at Mankhurd, the police said.

Bhanu Khatawkar, senior inspector of the Vashi traffic unit said, “The number of vehicles on the highway was more than usual on Tuesday, due to the lockdown relaxation. The Mumbai Police also conducted nakabadis at Mankhurd to check the vehicles entering their jurisdiction. The Vashi area saw traffic jams between 9.30am to 1pm. We deployed more officers to manage the traffic.”

Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar said, “Navi Mumbai has a positivity rate of 3%, hence we have allowed the limited relaxation of the norms, under Break the Chain order of the state government. The residents have to ensure that all the improvement in the situation does not go waste and that through responsible behaviour of the shopkeepers and the customers, the situation only improves further.”