Your wait for smooth Mumbai ride gets longer: BMC, cops spar, delay construction of Andheri bridge

The Mumbai civic body has blamed its lack of progress on the traffic department, saying it refuses to cooperate

Do you find commuting between N S Phadke Marg Junction and Teli Gali in Andheri (East) stressful? You’re not the only one. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to build the Teli Gali road-overbridge, almost 18 months after a work order was issued for its construction. Certain clauses in the work order mandate that the RoB be completed within 24 months, a deadline that is fast approaching, said civic sources. If that’s not bad enough, the project was planned in 2012.

Commuters continue to face severe traffic jams and congestion at two crucial and narrow junctions — Hotel Regency junction and Teli Gali junction. (HT File)

Commuters continue to face severe traffic jams and congestion at two crucial and narrow junctions — Hotel Regency junction and Teli Gali junction.

Once the RoB is constructed, about 25,000 vehicles are likely to use it daily, reveals a primary survey conducted by the BMC two years ago. The BMC has blamed its lack of progress on the traffic department, saying it refuses to cooperate, manage traffic while construction is ongoing, or issue a no objection certificate on time.

“The BMC submitted a plan to the traffic police, who kept telling us there that work on the Mumbai Metro was ongoing. We followed up multiple times with revised plans in 2016, but did not receive a response,” said SO Kori, chief engineer, bridges department.

“The impending deadline for the RoB construction is irrelevant. It will be extended to two years after work starts,” said an official from the bridges department.