Afraid to step out: Residents

The Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) was supposed to turn an hour-long commute into a 17-minute dream drive. But for residents of the neighbourhoods it passes through, it’s been a nightmare.

The Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) was supposed to turn an hour-long commute into a 17-minute dream drive. But for residents of the neighbourhoods it passes through, it’s been a nightmare.

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Apart from connecting the east and west of the city, JVLR passes through industrial areas such as Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ), Marol, Powai and Gandhi Nagar. Buses from these complexes, traffic jams and the glacial pace of construction of the Gandhi Nagar flyover have created problems for commuters and residents alike, found Hindustan Times.

During peak hours — 9 am to 11 am and 6.30pm to 11 pm — the vehicles on the JVLR only inch forward. A ride on the JVLR during the morning rush hour showed that the traffic was poorly managed and jams were common

“We are afraid of stepping out of our complex in the evening. The footpaths are in poor shape and the traffic is unbearable,” said Bipin Makhawana, a real estate consultant and resident of JVLR.

Makhwana said the situation worsened further once traffic from Andheri- Kurla Road began to be diverted due to construction of the Monorail.

Ask the traffic policemen deployed on JVLR and they blame it all on the incomplete Gandhi Nagar flyover. “During peak hours, it’s bumper-to-bumper traffic. Only once the flyover is ready will the pressure ease,” said a police officer requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Akhil Mourya, 23, who travels every day by JVLR to work, said: “Sometimes even the signals don’t work and you can rarely spot the traffic police. Truck drivers regularly ignore the signals. JVLR needs better traffic management and a separate lane for buses and trucks.”

Things were much the same on the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road. Commuters had a tough time dealing with bottlenecks.

Hindustan Times found long queues of vehicles inching along.

An alternative route through Aarey colony in Goregaon attracted fewer vehicles, probably due to the toll of Rs 15.

Motorists said they budgeted at least two hours for the ride on this road. “Although it should ideally take only an hour to reach Mulund from Gorai, I always expect it to take two hours because of the traffic,” said Kirti Belose, who works with a private firm.

Traffic from SEEPZ adds to the congestion, said Nikhil Tanwade, who works for a private firm.