The Opposition has asked the ruling Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra to cover the potholes on the Mumbai-Nasik highway and not charge for toll from the motorists till the road is properly repaired.
Public Works Department minister Dada Bhuse assured the opposition that an order will be issued for not charging the highway toll and to repair the potholes.
The Mumbai-Nasik high way has been experiencing huge traffic in the last three days due to bad road conditions and potholes. Traffic jam was seen from Bhiwandi town to Cadbury junction in Thane.
Satyajeet Tambe, who was inducted recently as the Member of Legislative Council, tweeted about his experience when he was on his way from Sangamner (Ahmednagar district) to attend the monsoon session of the state assembly in Mumbai. He said he had to get down near Bhiwandi, from where he reached Kalyan Station and took the AC Local to reach to Mumbai. “Respect has increased for people travelling daily from Palghar, Panvel, Kalyan, Dombivali to Mumbai. They have such a high tolerance level that due to lack of infrastructure they are still travelling this far every day.”
Tambe told News18, “We had to admit it that infrastructure in satellite towns near Mumbai is in shambles. All the ongoing infrastructure projects happening in and around Mumbai need a deadline and it has to be adhered to strictly. Also, Bhiwandi has become the hub of small industries that’s why there is a need to find solution to curb such traffic jams happening due to poor road condition. If we don’t pay attention now, there is a chance that in the future this hub will get shifted to some other state who will offer them better infrastructure. Then, the state will have to face the big financial loss, hence, time has come that we should pull up our socks.”
Traffic has been severely affected in Thane and Mumbai due to the potholes on the Mankoli, Dive Anjur, Bhiwandi bypass along the Mumbai-Nasik Highway.
Due to the potholes, people take 35-45 minutes to cross the distance which on a normal day takes only 10 minutes.
Senior Congress leader and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Balasaheb Thorat targeted chief minister Eknath Shinde and Central minister Kapil Patil for the poor conditions of roads in Thane and Bhiwandi. Patil represents Bhiwandi constituency in Lok Sabha.
Even Congress leader Nana Patole and NCP leader Rohit Pawar have raised the concern that despite the CM’s order, the potholes are not getting filled. MLA from Bhiwandi Rais Shiakh had raised the question over the road expansion project from Thane to Vadpe and Vadpe to Nasik on the Mumbai-Nasik Highway.
While answering the question, minister Bhuse said, “Around 30% work of the project has been completed. By 2024, both these roads will be an eight-lane road. Heavy traffic movement happens on the Mumbai-Nasik Highway near Bhiwandi as the town has become hub for warehouses. But the state government will take all possible actions to curb the traffic jams and improve the road conditions.”
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