You can use subways in Navi Mumbai only after monsoon: Maharashtra PWD department

The eight underpasses developed on the Sion-Panvel highway would be made functional only after monsoon, the state public works department (PWD) said. Pedestrians in Navi Mumbai risk their lives every day to cross the busy highway, as the underpasses are not in a usable state.

Satish Shrawage, executive engineer of PWD said, “Repairing the underpasses to ensure they are in a usable condition is our priority and we are working on it. But the tendering process is yet to start. Therefore, it will take us a few months to start the work. Thus, pedestrians will not be able to use the underpasses to cross the highway during monsoons.”

The underpasses were made for the convenience of the pedestrians while concretising the highway around four years ago. But they are usually filled with either rainwater during monsoon or with debris on other months. Though some pedestrians continue using the underpasses despite them being in a deplorable state, many prefer to cross the busy highway road.

Nitin Pawar, deputy commissioner of police of Navi Mumbai traffic department said, “The Sion-Panvel highway is one of the most important highways in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, as it connects Greater Mumbai to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Mumbai-Goa highway. Because of heavy traffic flow on this road, it is extremely dangerous to cross the road.”

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180 accidents have taken place on the highway last year, leading to 40 deaths. Most of these accidents took place between Kalamboli and Vashi bridge. This year, 10 people have already died in 43 accidents on the busy highway. In view of the frequent accidents taking place on the highway, the Navi Mumbai traffic department has long been requesting the PWD to make the underpasses usable.

Pawar said, “The development of the underpasses came as a big relief for the pedestrians. However, even after four years, the city residents have not been able to use them. We have written to the PWD multiple times to take the requisite measures. The number of accidents will come down on the highway if people start crossing the road though those underpasses.

The underpasses are located at Vashi, Sanpada, Kharghar, near LP bridge in Nerul, near Uran Phata bridge, near SBI colony in Belapur and near Taloja road.

For the repair of the underpasses, the PWD estimates an expenditure of around ₹70 lakh.

“First we would have to remove rainwater and debris from the underpasses by using water pumps. Labourers would also be deployed for manual work. Only after that will we begin with the repairing of the floor and walls,” said another PWD official.

“Minute attention needs to be paid to the staircases, so that no one falls down while using them. Likewise, for the safety of the people we will also make necessary arrangements of lighting system there. However, the final decisions are yet to be taken in this regard,” he further said.

Shrawage said that the the PWD is working on 22 different repair and construction projects across the city.

“The budget for all the different projects collectively would be around ₹450 crore. Tenders have already been issued for work around ₹75 crore. We are going step-by-step, but it does not mean we are not serious about the problems faced by the pedestrians.”