Mumbai: Ongoing rainfall in Raigad district has exposed the deteriorated state of service roads looked after by the National Highways Department, which are now in ruins and stony with big rocks hindering travel.
At a small village, Lonere, where a flyover is being built, heavy rains have resulted in large potholes on the service roads, causing water to pool and obscuring the road conditions, compelling drivers to rely on guesswork to navigate. Even though the department has tried to cover these roads with gravel, it has led to accidents because of the slick surfaces, especially for two-wheeled vehicles.
Comparable problems continue to exist close to the flyover at Tempale village and at Kolad Naka, where gravel gets washed away during intense rainfall, worsening the circumstances.
Potholes are contributing to traffic jams near the flyovers at Nagothane and Amtem, and while temporary gravel patch repairs have been made, they are inadequate. Although the government has established multiple deadlines for the much-postponed finishing of the Mumbai-Goa highway, advancement continues to be halted.
The latest review by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and MP Sunil Tatkare gave no fresh answers. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari conveyed hope for a June finish, although as the deadline nears, no noticeable signs of advancement are apparent.
Furthermore, the construction on external bypass roads at Indapur and Mangaon has stopped, necessitating the hiring of new contractors, which has resulted in an anticipated completion period of one to one and a half years for these ventures.
Mumbai experienced its first heavy monsoon downpour on Monday, yet Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) confirmed that services between Aarey JVLR and Worli were operating smoothly, with regular schedules from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM. However, Acharya Atre Station faced significant waterlogging, prompting a temporary shutdown for safety.
Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray criticized the government for poor execution of the project, pointing out that the waterlogging was due to ongoing construction. He questioned the rushed inauguration of the station in light of these vulnerabilities exposed by the rains.
