Stuck again: Snarls continue on Mumbai’s Sion-Panvel highway

Bad roads and potholes on this stretch were leading to the snarls, the traffic police said

For a second day in a row, motorists on the Sion-Panvel highway were stuck in snarls, with the line of vehicles starting at the Vashi toll plaza and running nearly 4km towards Panvel, according to traffic officials.

Bad roads and potholes on this stretch were leading to the snarls, the traffic police said.

“The potholes are slowing down vehicles. On some stretches, the roads are so bad that mudguards of cars are falling off and vehicles are breaking down. This only makes the situation worse,” said Satish Gaikwad, senior police inspector, Vashi traffic unit.

Gaikwad said, “We can clear roads if the congestion was being caused by illegal parking or mismanagement of traffic. But there are such serious issues with the road itself, traffic officials cannot do much.”

READ: Potholes, traffic snarls make commute on Mumbai’s Sion-Panvel highway a nightmare

The deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Nitin Pawar, said he had written letters to the government and the public works department (PWD) to repair the road. “We made repeated requests and pointed out that motorists are at risk , but nothing seems to have any effect.”

Traffic officials on Wednesday filled up some potholes with soil and brick from nearby areas as a quick-fix to give motorists some relief. “There are potholes near Turbhe, CBD Belapur, Kharghar, Kalamboli and Panvel,” said Krishna Murthy, a Belapur resident who takes the route every day.

A PWD official said the department did not have the funds it needs to repair the roads. “The ministry concerned will decide what is to be done.”