Poor traffic management, badly-timed signals, potholes make Mumbaiites dread Milan bridge

Mumbai city news: To add to the chaos, people are forced to cross the busy road when traffic is moving, as footpaths are not useable and there are no zebra crossings or pedestrian signals.

The Milan Flyover at Santacruz (West) was launched as an east-west connector and the answer to the area’s traffic issues.

Satish Bate/HT Photo

Four years on, it’s just one more stretch Mumbaiites dread.

This is what the flyover could have been: It connects SV Road in the west to the Western Express Highway that leads to the east side of the western suburbs. Motorists from the east use it to get to Bandra’s Linking Road (a shopping hub), while those who live in Bandra use it to reach commercial hubs such as Andheri and BKC. The flyover leads to the Santacruz bus depot, where commuters from areas beyond the western suburbs alight. The Milan flyover could have been that one link smoothly connecting all these centres.

READ: Mumbai choked: Poor traffic management turns Bandra’s Hill road into hell road

What the flyover and the junction really is: It’s where poor traffic management, badly timed signals and potholed roads cause autorickshaws, buses, cars and bikes struggling to find a way out of a massive mess.

READ: Mumbai choked:The constant fight for space at Bandra’s un-Lucky junction

To add to the chaos, people are forced to cross the busy road when traffic is moving, as footpaths are not useable and there are no zebra crossings or pedestrian signals.

But, there are ways out, experts said.

“There is no alternative route to reach SV Road, so congestion is unavoidable. But consistent lane widths could help. Another solution is to promote public transport, as the area is serviced by a strong network of BEST buses,” said Dhawal Ashar, from World Resources Institute, India.