Highway truths: Pothole-filled highway stretch between Mumbai-Vapi cause inconvenience to motorists

The stretch after Versova Bridge on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, on August 18. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The pothole-filled highway stretch between Mumbai and Vapi is, to put it mildly, horrible, truck drivers, car users and cops told mid-day during our test drive on the busy carriageway. The road to Nashik fared a notch better, though it's still a nightmare for motorists. Bad roads force drivers to cut lanes and raise the chances of accidents.

The road just before Bhagat Tara Singh restaurant on Mumbai-Nashik highway, on August 19

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway largely offers a smooth ride barring a few uneven stretches. The roads between Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Mumbai-Nashik see huge traffic jams due to potholes. The most common grouse of the drivers was that why the roads are not being maintained despite toll collection.

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Mumbai-Nashik highway

The scene on this important carriageway was equally unpleasant, though it has fewer potholes than the Mumbai-Vapi stretch. Between Nashik and Igatpur, mid-day saw some potholes filled with paver blocks. After crossing the Ghoti toll, the road looked like a vehicle test track for 200-300 metres.

On the Kasara Ghat section, the road seemed to be in good condition. The stretch between Kasara Ghat and Asangaon wasn't very bad. We came across the car that had met with an accident and had its front axel damaged.

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From the Padgah toll to the Ranjoli bridge, potholes were aplenty and the road surface was uneven in many places which lead to traffic jams every day. Further down, the road on Anjur Phata bridge is in a deplorable condition, giving a harrowing time to motorists.

mid-day came across this crater-filled stretch just before Bhagat Tara Singh restaurant on the Mumbai-Nashik highway. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

We met Marathi actor Chinmay Udgirkar who was driving to Mumbai from Igatpuri. "Every monsoon, we face the same problem. Poor roads can cause accidents. There might be some constraints, but the authorities must solve the problem. It is a matter of people's lives and we can't play with it. Nashik is a tourist place and many industries are also coming up here, so the government has to provide better infrastructure."

Udgirkar said authorities must build concrete roads that last long. "The Igatpuri stretch is famous for its scenic beauty and lots of people take this route for the same. So the government needs to find a solution to this pothole problem."

Ali Ahmad, a truck driver coming from Odisha and going towards Kalyan said, "The condition of the road is worse in some stretches of Maharashtra, especially on the Nashik- Mumbai road. Every motorist has to pay a toll, then it is the responsibility of the authority to make better roads. There are so many potholes that we are forced to switch lanes at some point."

Voices

Chinmay Udgirkar, Marathi actor
‘It is a matter of people's lives and we can't play with it. Nashik is a tourist place and many industries are also coming up here, so the government has to provide better infrastructure'

Ali Ahmad, truck driver
‘I'm coming from Odisha and going towards Kalyan. The condition of the road is worse in some stretches of Maharashtra, especially on the Nashik- Mumbai route'

Mumbai-Pune Expressway

The six-lane high-speed road that runs for 94 km almost had no potholes. It is way better than the Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Mumbai-Nashik highways. However, there are a few stretches where the surface has become uneven to wear and tear.

A vehicle being towed away on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after an accident, on August 16. Pic/Sameer Markande

Jagruti D, a frequent traveller on the E-way, said, "The road surface needs to be repaired at some places as it has become uneven. Also, there need to be more reflectors as driving in the ghat section becomes a bit difficult during monsoon and winter when there is poor visibility."

Kunal Chaudhari, another motorist, said, "After an increase in accidents on the E-way, MSRDC had installed Brifen wire ropes at a few spots. However, it has got damaged in some places and needs to be repaired at the earliest." The rope acts as a barrier to minimise damage in case of accidents.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway

mid-day started from Dahisar toll plaza to Vapi via the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. Throughout our 142-km journey, we found several potholes on the stretch that is used by about 60,000 vehicles a day.

As we crossed the Varsova bridge towards Vasai, 200-300 metres in the northbound direction appeared impassable due to huge craters. A traffic constable posted there said vehicles take double the time to cross the stretch which triggers long snarls during morning and evening peak hours every day.

"We have written several letters to the authorities concerned, including the National High Authority of India [NHAI], and the toll operator but the condition of the road has only turned from bad to worse," said the traffic constable requesting anonymity.

The condition of the road at Bhilad near Gujarat RTO checkpost on the Mumbai-Ahemdabad highway, on August 18. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

mid-day came across huge pits a few meters before the Shrisad Phata, a pothole appeared just before Kharadtara bridge. At least one big pothole was seen on every bridge. Just before the Maharashtra check-post, workers from RK Infra, which has the contract for repairs and maintenance, were carrying out some patchwork. On our way back to Mumbai, we encountered huge potholes just before Talasari Panchayati Samiti Office bridge, a big crater on the Dapchari bridge and another about 100 metres before the Mahalaxmi temple bridge.

Motorists said potholes particularly pose serious risks to two- and three-wheeler users. A few kilometres to go for the Maharashtra-Gujrat border RTO checkpost, potholes were being repaired. But drivers said it won't last long.

More woes beyond the border

The condition of the road towards Vapi after Maharashtra was even worse. On our return, we saw a tempo getting stuck in a huge crater close to the Gujrat-Maharashtra RTO checkpost. Roads were particularly horrible near the Valwada bridge, Daman bridge, Hotel Shree Daan bridge, and Jakat Naka bridge. The Cello company stretch, Bhilad Hanuman temple road, and the Jharoli stretch were full of potholes.

A highway traffic officer said, "We are fed up with writing letters to the NHAI. During patrolling, we also take photos of potholes and share the location with the company that has been contracted to maintain the road. They do temporary repairs but after the rain, the potholes are back. On some stretches, vehicle movement is so slow that it takes hours to clear the congestion."

Voices

Rajiv Kumar, truck driver
‘For almost a year, the condition of the road has remained the same. We pay road taxes and toll but still can't we expect good roads? This is sheer negligence on the part of the government '

Sandeep Jaiswal, auto driver, Vapi
‘Some potholes here are as wide as 15-20 inches. Because of bad roads, vehicular movement becomes so slow that it leads to traffic jams and causes accidents. The government collects a toll from us. Why are they not providing us with a good road?'

60K
No of vehicles that use the stretch between city and Vapi