Residents of Mulund West have launched a signature campaign calling for the widening of key approach roads and the construction of a long-delayed road project, citing growing traffic congestion and safety concerns in the area.
The campaign was organised on Saturday by the Hillside Residents’ Welfare Association (HIRWA) at Pratap Singh Garden, where more than 550 residents signed a petition within three hours. The group has been working on civic issues in the locality since 1988. According to the association, the demand focuses on widening Malabar Hill Road and the Veena Nagar flyover approach road, which connect the Veena Nagar Phase II township to LBS Road.
Residents said the neighbourhood, which now has nearly 15,000 inhabitants, is served by only three access roads, making it vulnerable to congestion. They have also renewed their demand for the construction of a road that was approved in the Development Plan (DP) in 1967 but has never been built.
HIRWA representatives said the association had written to then agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in 2005 requesting that the road be constructed and had received assurances at the time. However, the project has yet to be implemented.
Local residents fear the traffic situation could worsen with upcoming redevelopment and large projects in the vicinity. The association raised concerns about proposed developments including Prestige City and Prestige Hills by the Prestige Group, which together are expected to include more than 4,000 residential units, a 30-storey commercial tower named Prestige Trade Centre, a shopping mall and call centres.
Residents said these projects could significantly increase daily traffic as new residents, employees and visitors begin using the already limited road network.
The association has also urged member housing societies to conduct similar signature drives within their premises. HIRWA represents 31 cooperative housing societies with more than 90 residential buildings. The letter calling for participation was issued by the association’s secretary Bharat Soni.
Dr Rajesh Mane, a resident of Model Town who joined the campaign, said traffic delays are already common. “People already get stuck for around 15 minutes every day while returning from the office. Even before people move into the new projects, we can foresee the congestion that redevelopment and ongoing construction will cause,” he said.
HIRWA members said they had written last year to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief and the chief minister requesting the widening of the approach roads but have not yet received a response.
Another resident, Ashok Bhandari, said both the Veena Nagar flyover approach road and Malabar Hill Road are around 20 feet wide, which often leads to bottlenecks. “If widening is not possible, we are open to alternatives such as a tunnel or a flyover. We want adequate infrastructure so the situation does not become unmanageable,” he said.
Prakash Paddikal, chairperson of HIRWA, said the issue highlights broader challenges in city planning. “This is not just about Mulund but about Mumbai. Redevelopment is happening everywhere without assessing whether road and commuting infrastructure can support it. Without adequate facilities, it will become a disaster,” he said.
Residents said the population in the area has increased steadily while the road network has largely remained the same. The association plans to submit the collected signatures to authorities after the campaign ends, urging the administration to address traffic infrastructure before large projects become operational.
Source: Hindustan Times
