THE NEW flyovers on Western Express Highway (WEH) between Bandra and Dahisar promise to reduce travel time by 15-20 minutes during peak hours
THE NEW flyovers on Western Express Highway (WEH) between Bandra and Dahisar promise to reduce travel time by 15-20 minutes during peak hours. But Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who inaugurated two flyovers on Saturday, doesn't seem to believe this. He took a helicopter ride from Malabar Hill till Thakur Complex at Kandivali (E).
The inauguration took place at 9 am at Thakur Complex flyover and Chavan managed to reach on time from the temporary helipad placed at a sport complex there. An MMRDA official said, "The CM had to use a helicopter as the programme was scheduled early in the morning." The CM also opened the other three lanes of the Domestic Airport flyover.
The addition of these two flyovers has increased the flyovers on WEH to five, while one more flyover is still under construction at Malad. However, the event created traffic snarls both at Thakur Complex and Domestic Airport.
Both flyovers were supposed to open on Republic Day, but the dates were advanced to January 24. The reason it's Amavasya or new moon day on January 26 u2014 which is considered to be inauspicious. Also officials from Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation feel the CM would have several functions to attend on January 26.
Ashok Chavan recently apologised to PM Manmohan Singh after angry citizens demonstrated in front of his convoy at Haji Ali after the traffic police blocked vehicular movement for over 20 minutes.
Chavan had said that VIPs would be aerially transported to ease traffic.
