Third small, metal flyover proposed at Haji Ali junction

In order to ease traffic at the busy Haji Ali junction in South Mumbai, the consultants appointed by the civic body have proposed a third cardeck, in addition to the first two proposed by the traffic department.

In order to ease traffic at the busy Haji Ali junction in South Mumbai, the consultants appointed by the civic body have proposed a third cardeck, in addition to the first two proposed by the traffic department.

HT Image

Cardecks are smaller flyovers made of metal.

The cardeck suggested by the consultants is between Peddar Road and Keshvrao Khadye Marg, popularly known as the Racecourse Road.

The consultants Medulla Soft were appointed by the BMC to help them with solutions to ease traffic jams at the junction.

The junction is the meeting point for Lala Lajpat Rai Road from the north, Pedder Road from the south, Jawjee Dadaji Marg from the east and Keshvrao Khadye Marg from the northeast. In addition, Bhulabhai Desai Road (or Warden Road) meets Pedder Road at Cadbury Junction 200 metres to the south.

“The proposed cardeck will start close to Haji Ali juice center, loop over the sea, then one arm will land on the Racecourse road and the other will go towards Tardeo,” said a civic official requesting anonymity.

The earlier two that the traffic department had proposed were between Cadbury junction and Bhulabhai Desai Road and between Tardeo and Lala Lajpath Rai road.

The consultants have also suggested joining the three signals so that signaling time can be changed according to the traffic. They have proposed conventional solutions like a roundabout.

However, officers from the civic road department said there was a roundabout near the junction more than 10 years back, but was changed to traffic islands, as it didn’t serve the purpose.

“These are their suggestions. We haven’t finalised anything,” said A.V. Ralkar, chief engineer, Roads and Traffic department.

In the past, the police tried closing traffic towards Mahalaxmi and Tardeo for cars coming from Pedder Road. A dedicated lane was introduced from where one could take a U-turn around 100 metres ahead, near Lala Lajpat Rai College, but nothing helped.