Traffic Woes on Mumbai’s WEH Ease as Akurli Subway Expansion Nears Completion

Mumbai, 12th September 2024: Motorists on Mumbai’s Western Express Highway (WEH) can now breathe a sigh of relief as the prolonged traffic congestion, which persisted for nearly two years, has finally ended. The expansion of the Akurli subway in Kandivali is nearly complete, and the barricades that had been disrupting the highway have been cleared.

Previously, the barricades had reduced the north-bound section of the highway to just two lanes instead of the usual four, creating significant bottlenecks for vehicles travelling from south Mumbai and Bandra to Borivali and Dahisar in the western suburbs. To alleviate the situation, traffic police would temporarily open two lanes on the opposite side during peak hours. However, this temporary fix also resulted in southbound traffic jams near Kandivali.

Motorists heading towards Borivali often faced delays ranging from 20 minutes to an hour to navigate the 1.5-2km stretch between Malad and Kandivali, with the Samata Nagar Police Station junction being a key trouble spot.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has undertaken the task of widening the Akurli subway, which links Kandivali station to the highway and Lokhandwala. According to MMRDA, the project encountered delays due to the unforeseen discovery of a 300mm gas pipeline on the Borivali side, which needed to be relocated before work could proceed. This pipeline serves areas from Dahisar to Bandra.

Recently, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, along with MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, MMRDA officials, and residents, inspected the site. During the inauguration announcement, Goyal remarked, “Today is an important day, not just for North Mumbai but for the entire city. During my campaign in North Mumbai, I witnessed the serious traffic issues on the Western Express Highway, with long traffic jams on both sides. I was deeply concerned and vowed that within the first 100 days of the new government, under PM Modi’s third term, we would expedite the work to bring relief to Mumbai residents from these daily traffic problems.”