In an unforeseen turn of events, Mumbai’s busy Western Express Highway was thrown into chaos on a Monday morning. The frustrating traffic jam led to commuters expressing their anger on social media. The main road, which is crucial for many people, turned into a sea of stationary vehicles, causing a lot of disruption to daily routines.
Reason: Demolition of Andheri Flyover Gantry Girders
The main reason behind this unexpected traffic mess was the ongoing demolition work on the Andheri flyover’s gantry girders. This work, done to improve the city’s roads, started at midnight. Even though the Mumbai Traffic Police had warned the public in advance and advised them, the demolition work took longer than expected. This made the traffic situation on the Western Express Highway even worse.
Heavy Congestion All Along the Highway
Information from users on platform X showed how big the problem was. The traffic jam wasn’t just in one place; it stretched from the Mrinal Tai Gore flyover to the airport. Social media platforms were full of pictures of the highway, filled with vehicles that weren’t moving. In the middle of all this traffic, there were also pictures of construction work going on, making the problem even worse.
Andheri Bridge Closure: Something That Had to Be Done
To help with the demolition work, the Mumbai Traffic Police decided to close the Andheri Bridge from 12:05 AM to 5:00 AM on Monday. This temporary closure was needed to remove a metal structure from the Western Expressway Andheri Bridge. The police made this decision to cause as little trouble as possible during the busiest hours.
Understanding the problems faced by commuters, the Mumbai Traffic Police gave some advice on August 12. They suggested different routes to help ease the traffic. For people going from Vakola to Borivali, the recommended route was to use the Western Express Highway Northbound Slip Road from Hanuman Nagar Bus Stop. Then they should go through Bahar Junction, Gold Spot Junction, Andheri Tab Junction, and finally reach Gundawali.
For those traveling from Jogeshwari to Bandra, the advice was to use the Western Express Highway Southbound Slip Road, starting from Gundawali. This route goes through Andheri Tab Junction, Gold Spot Junction, Bahar Junction, and Hanuman Nagar, making it easier to get through the traffic.
As Mumbai works to make its roads and bridges better, people are facing challenges because of the construction. The recent traffic jam on the Western Express Highway shows us that while progress is important, it also means we sometimes have to wait and be patient.
