The Western Express Highway (Marina Kidwai)

Mumbai is a huge city, extending from the north to south and to the newly developed Suburbs. The major problem that almost all big cities come across is that of “heavy traffic jams”. The city keeps on stretching its boundaries, as the number of habitants increase, consequently increasing the traffic. To manage the huge traffic jams on roads, what is most important is proper planning to ensure easy flow of traffic. The traffic management must ensure connection of the main city with the suburbs and the outskirts. A very good example of such a connection is the Western Express-Way, which connects the main city of Mumbai to the Suburbs. The highway is composed of a series of flyovers that commence post the Banda-Worli Sea-link and extends up to all the further off suburbs. This expressway ensures easy passage of traffic from south Mumbai to the suburbs; also, the absence of any traffic signal, makes it even easier for the commuters to drive past the highway, without any major traffic jams.

The areas that usually have a traffic jam are Andheri and Santacruz, as the entire airport going traffic is clustered at these points. The highway however, makes it easier for the non-airport going traffic to carry on forward without halting for long hours at those heavy traffic areas. The commuters travelling from the far off suburbs to south Mumbai or vice-versa find it extremely easy to travel, due to the presence of this expressway.

 Everything has two sides to itself, one the good side exemplifying the benefits; and the other side manifesting the negatives. The expressway on one-hand looks extremely planned and promised to ensure easy passage of traffic at all hours, but this is not entirely true. The highway does try to solve some problems but also brings in a few problems with it. Where on one hand some of the flyovers ensure convenience, the others provide menace.

Normally flyovers are constructed with an aim of providing maximum convenience to the commuters by reducing the menace created by traffic jams. However, one cannot say this for the Malad flyover that connects Malad to the western express highway. This flyover commonly known as the Times Of India flyover, as it is right in front of the Times office, has become a major problem. During the peak office hours, the entire western expressway is blocked with huge traffic jams, although it was contemplated, that the construction of this flyover would be of help in curbing traffic jams. The thought was that, such a flyover would provide convenience to the traffic moving towards suburbs’ post Malad, as they would avoid the Malad traffic and move ahead over the flyover. The irony is that, this flyover has not really solved the grievances of the daily commuters rather has accumulated to their problems. Vishal Singh, 28, travelling to Churchgate everday, says, “I don’t take that much time to cross Andheri and Santacruz , as much as I waste on this flyover”. A driver, who drives past this area everyday, said that, “It was much better before this flyover was constructed, I did not waste so much time here earlier”. The major reason why this flyover is a total nuisance is that, it is only partially constructed i.e. only one side has been fully constructed. The other part is still under construction and hence does not work. All the construction equipments have occupied most of the highway, thus reducing the space for the travellers. One side is completely clustered with cranes and various other road-building material. A common complain among daily travellers, was the delay in building the flyover.

 

  The pictures show the left side of the flyover, which is full of all construction equipments, blocking that side completely. Thus Blockage of the left side restricts the entire traffic to one side, paving way for traffic jams.

However, barring a few traffic clusters, this highway is of immense importance, linking the suburbs with the main city of Mumbai. Post this Malad flyover, the western expressway continues to other suburbs such as Borivali, Dahisar, Virar and Thane.