Rumblers on Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road are toast after just three year

Damaged polymer rumblers on Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road flyover. Pics/Ashish Raje

All 12 polymer rumblers on the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road flyover are damaged, and the screws used to fix the rumblers, now exposed on the surface of the flyover, could prove dangerous for vehicles plying on the bridge.

The flyover was opened to the public by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in August 2021. Just a month after its inauguration, stud posts and iron crash barriers were stolen from the flyover. The BMC lodged a complaint with the police, after which speed-monitoring cameras were installed.

In the last few months, all the rumblers have sustained damage. There are six rumblers on each side of the flyover, totalling 12, all of which are now damaged. "We will replace the rumblers immediately," said Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner. mid-day has been running a campaign - illuminate speed breakers of the city.

A former BMC official suggested an alternative to polymer rumblers. "Polymer rumblers can be easily damaged and create traffic issues. While rumble strips help reduce vehicle speed, they also allow smoother movement of vehicles."

Damaged rumbler piece kept aside on the flyover

Local resident Faiyaz Alam Shaikh said, "These rumblers have been damaged for a long time. We have requested BMC officials multiple times, but no one has paid attention to the bridge. Our concern is that the exposed screws on the surface can cause accidents."

According to BMC records, construction of the flyover began in 2019 and was scheduled for completion the same year. However, the flyover was opened to traffic in 2021. It is a six-lane, 2.9-kilometre-long structure built at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

Completely damaged rumblers on the flyover

Later, the BMC decided to construct another arm of the flyover, which directly lands at the Deonar dumping ground, costing Rs 200 crore. Now, the BMC plans to extend this flyover to the Sion-Panvel Highway to reduce traffic congestion at Maharashtra Nagar Junction. This extension project is estimated to cost Rs 970 crore.