Six months after its official opening, the recently constructed flyover at Vile Parle on the Western Express Highway (WEH) has sustained damage. In order to reduce traffic at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Domestic Terminal (T1) Junction, the structure was created.
The surface of the flyover, which has a very short lifespan, has started to erode after several major rainstorm events, leaving an uneven driving surface. This development has sparked issues regarding the flyover’s maintenance and upkeep as well as the infrastructure’s long-term viability.
It is the responsibility of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to oversee the building of this important infrastructure project. Locals have noticed an unsettling occurrence: a 200–250 metre stretch of the recently opened flyover’s road surface is starting to crumble. Six months into its operational life, the structure has been beset by this problem, despite being formally launched on March 9 by a distinguished panel of officials that included Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, and MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, IAS.
Prominent activist Zoru Bathena has uploaded a number of images showing the worrisome degradation of the flyover’s road surface that he has been witnessing for the last month. He bemoaned, “It is nothing short of appalling to witness the rapid degradation of a brand-new flyover’s surface,” expressing dismay at the development. The structure has once again succumbed to degradation despite prior complaints and alleged repairs, forcing commuters to drive in a dangerous and uneven environment.”
The two-lane flyover was being built by MMRDA in reaction to the ongoing traffic jams that drivers on the WEH from the Sahar elevated route to Bandra were experiencing. These drivers would regularly become stranded at the domestic airport flyover signal. The purpose of the new flyover, which is next to the current domestic airport flyover, is to help drivers avoid traffic jams and have a more comfortable drive.
Source: The Free Press Journal