Sion-Panvel highway: Traffic jams on 3 stretches test motorists’ patience

While the Sion-Panvel highway has become infamous for severe traffic snarls, in reality, there are just a few stretches where vehicles get stuck due to their bad condition.

One stretch that witnesses traffic snarls almost regularly is the Turbhe junction. Potholes prevent motorists from speeding, thus preventing smooth travel. On some days, the condition worsens during peak hours and traffic stretches up to 3km.

Second, the stretch near the CBD Belapur flyover also causes traffic woes. The road towards the Kharghar-end of this flyover is in need of repairs.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has partially blocked the road for repairs, which has only contributed to the congestion.

Until Monday, the Kopri bridge near Kharghar was also covered in potholes. Public Works Department (PWD) officials then conducted repair work partially blocking both, Mumbai-bound and Panvel-bound carriageways.

Clearing of these potholes coupled with the repair work at CBD Belapur resulted in a 7km-long jam between CBD Belapur and Kamothe. The Kalamboli Circle and Vashi Gaon also see congestion frequently. However, it seems to have improved this year.

Pravin Pandey, assistant police inspector of Kharghar traffic unit said, “A huge number of vehicles go towards Thane via the Thane-Belapur road and hence, the total number of vehicles on that road decrease.”