The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has initiated work on a planned underpass at Sector 19 in Sanpada along Palm Beach Road to address growing traffic congestion and improve connectivity for commuters travelling to and from Sanpada and Juinagar.
The proposed underpass will be located near the Kesar Solitaire building and is designed to serve as an alternative entry and exit route for vehicles accessing the Sanpada node. According to civic officials, the project aims to ease vehicular movement while ensuring environmental safeguards during its implementation.
Currently, Sanpada has only one major access point from Palm Beach Road near Moraj Circle. With a steady rise in population and vehicle ownership in Navi Mumbai, this entry point has been experiencing increasing pressure, leading to frequent traffic congestion in the area.
Officials noted that traffic demand is expected to grow further due to several major infrastructure developments in the region. These include the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, the expansion of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), and the proposed development of the Third Mumbai urban region. These projects are likely to increase vehicular movement along Palm Beach Road.
Based on traffic studies and technical consultations, the underpass has been planned to enable smoother movement of vehicles travelling towards Belapur and Uran, as well as those heading towards Vashi and Mumbai.
As part of the project planning, NMMC conducted a survey of trees within the development area and identified 808 trees. Of these, 368 will be preserved at their current locations, while 329 will be scientifically transplanted within the same locality. The species identified for transplantation include mango, tamarind, gooseberry, jamun, ramphal, putranjiva and gulmohar.
A total of 111 trees are proposed to be removed for the project, including 92 trees of the subabul species, which experts consider to have comparatively lower ecological value.
Before starting the tree-related work, the civic body issued a public notice inviting objections through the Tree Authority. The authority received 47 objections and subsequently conducted hearings, during which 11 residents attended and shared their views.
According to the civic administration, the Sanpada underpass project is expected to reduce travel time and fuel consumption while improving traffic flow in the area, with efforts being made to balance infrastructure development and environmental conservation.
Source: Prop News Time
