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MMRDA roads aren’t any better either
WESTERN EXPRESS HIGHWAY
CONTRACTOR: J KUMAR | ACTION TAKEN BY MMRDA: NONE Driving along Western Express Highway can be a test of nerves and strength. The road, recently widened and “strengthened’’ by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is already pockmarked with potholes.
The stretch between Bandra and Borivli (leading out of the city) has a few bad spots — especially where flyovers start — but you’ll encounter real pain after Kashi Mira and the Dhaisar Check Naka. On Sunday morning, during a drive to Vasai Fort, we saw several trucks rendered immobile by the tarmac; most had broken axles that were unable to bear the strain of the potholes. But things changed for the better a few kilometres after Dahisar.
But the journey back was definitely worse, forcing many people driving back to the city to use the north-bound lane.
Ashley D’Mello | TNN S V ROAD CONTRACTORS: MADANI & CO, R P SHAH | ACTION TAKEN BY MMRDA: NONE Most of the bad stretches on the 27-km S V Road occur at places where manholes have been constructed or asphalted and paved stretches of the road merge. MMRDA engineers said the level of the road had not been taken into account while manholes were being laid and this caused the problem; water would seep into the small crevices, which would then expand into crater-sized potholes, they explained. Most of the busy junctions at Andheri, Kandivli, Goregaon and Santa Cruz were bad. The potholes are not only taking a toll on the quality of drive, say residents; they are also leading to massive snarls because of frequent breakdowns. Andheri resident Dnyanesh Khare felt potholes had undone whatever good paver blocks and the road-widening project had done. Goregaon software professional Aniruddha Joshi said the worst spot was MTNL Junction.
Chittaranjan Tembhekar | TNN
BEATEN PATH: The monsoon has pummelled S V Road (top picture on page) and WEH out of shape
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