Pics – Bachan Kumar

Padmja Sinha

padmja.sinha@hindustantimes.com

Navi Mumbai: Public Works Department (PWD) is all set to give smooth ride this monsoon. Apart
from concretizing the battered stretch on Sion -Panvel Highway the officials have also created an
extra lane near Belapur.

Concretization of the exiting patch at the start and end of Belapur bridge has started along with the
work of the newly added lane which has been dug up and made ready for concretization.

Kishore Patil, executive engineer, PWD said, “The other lane was proposed since a long time, but was
delayed. Now the lane has been freed from encroachment, dug and ready for concretization. We
have also started the work at the start and end of Belapur bridge, one lane has been blocked and
necessary signages regarding diversions have also been put for the convenience of commuters.”

PWD had taken up concretization work on Sion Panvel highway some four months back and is due to
complete the work before monsoon.

The concretisation work is underway at Kopra bridge, Vashi Gaon, Taloja link road and Shiravane.
The work at Belapur begun just few days back and would be completed soon on priority. Belapur is
an important intersection as a diversion goes to Palm Beach while other one goes towards Mumbai.

The intersection sees an increased traffic during peak hours and turns into a bottleneck. The extra
lane would ease out the traffic to a large extent. Also, concretization at start and end of the bridge
would be further ease out the traffic.

Abhay Rana, 40, a Belapur resident, who commutes to Sion everyday said, “During peak hours traffic
congregates at the intersection, the new lane would ease out traffic to a large extent. Till the work is
in progress we will have to face lot of traffic as one lane has been blocked.”

Pravin Pandey, traffic police inspector, Kharghar said, “While traffic is smooth on highway,
bottleneck is created near the intersection at Belapur. It was also because of encroachment near the
road. With new lane, the encroachment is gone and work would ensure traffic free commute.”

“Travel time on highway would further increase, most of the highway near the bridge has been dug
up. The work at Belapur will add to the exiting travel woes, however we will have to patient and
support the officials,” said, Mangesh Patil, 40 a Kharghar resident.

According to figures shared by Vashi road traffic officer (RTO), some 3 lakh new vehicle have been
added in past two years, Panvel RTO added some 5 lakh vehicles have been added under Panvel
RTO.

The official feel that increased number of new vehicles add up to the existing traffic which is
reflected during peak hours.

Till the work of new lane at Belapur is in progress commuters will have to use two lanes instead of
three lanes, this might lead to delays.

Also in wake of concretization work near the Belapur bridge, one lane is completely blocked. The
commuters, going towards Mumbai however, have a choice to either take a diversion through Palm
beach road to avoid traffic or continue on Sion – Panve highway.
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The Sion Panvel highway is longest corridor of its kind and was made to cut travel time by more than
30 minutes.
The highway has 10 lanes with footpaths on either side of the roadway
12,000 Two-wheelers plying on the highway each day
 30,000 Four-wheelers plying on the highway each day
 ₹67 crore Money allotted for concretisation 
19km Portion of Sion-Panvel Highway in Navi Mumbai (starting from Vashi)
Belapur is an important intersection which sees bottleneck traffic during peak hours.
The most dangerous stretches on the highway are Vashi Gaon, Turbhe, Shiravane and Kopra
To ease out congestion during the repair work, the traffic department has installed robots at
Kopra Bridge and Vashi, which alert motorists on the diversions.