Mumbai: Naigaon road overbridge finally completed after delay of 8 yrs, but awaits minister for inauguration

The 1.3-km road overbridge connects Naigaon East and West. Pics/Hanif Patel

The road overbridge, a crucial connector between Naigaon East and West, was finally completed 18 days ago after a delay of more than eight years, but the public still cannot use it. A local activist told mid-day the bridge is caught in red-tape, as the government hasn't yet decided which minister will inaugurate it. It's a much-awaited flyover, as it would reduce travel time between Naigaon West and Bhayandar from three hours to 30 minutes.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) completed the 1.3-km Naigaon road overbridge on April 1. Since it has not been open for public use, people are using one end of the bridge to park their vehicles for the day, even as they catch a local train to work in Mumbai. Moreover, morning and evening walkers are using the bridge as a jogging track.

Besides the inauguration, the name of the bridge has also not been finalised. Every political party has recommended a name for the bridge, said activist Ashish Vartak. "The local residents have been demanding immediate inauguration of the bridge, but they are at the receiving end because of the red-tape. We have learnt that the government is yet to decide which minister will inaugurate the bridge."

Locals suggest name

Over a dozen residents of Naigaon East pressed for immediate opening of the bridge, while the fisherfolk of Naigaon West underscored how it would help them conduct business in less time. They have unanimously suggested an apolitical name for the bridge - Naigaon East-West bridge.
"We hope no political party would have any objection," said Govind Dandekar, a fish trader, who lives in Naigaon Koliwada. "It takes me about 3 hours to reach Bhayandar, as I have to travel to Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway via Ambadi road in Vasai and the traffic is usually congested. But if this bridge is opened to the public, it will take me only 20-30 minutes to reach Bhayandar," he added.

Govind Dandekar

Will save time, money

"It will not only reduce our travel time, but also reduce our investment in the business. For about a 3-hour trip, I have to arrange ice to preserve the fish during the transportation to Bhayandar or Mumbai from Naigaon West. But if the bridge is opened, I won't have to purchase ice. Customers will also be happy to get fresh catch instead of frozen fish," he said.

All the government establishments, including tehsildar office, court, hospitals, theatres, shopping malls, etc., are located in Naigaon West, said Jerry Roderigues, 65. "We have to spend a lot of money on commuting," the Naigaon East resident added.

Vehicles parked at the end of the bridge, in Naigaon East, on Monday. Pics/Hanif Patel

"The sellers in Naigaon East demanded extra, saying they had to pay more for transporting the items. We, the residents of Naigaon East, feel as if we are living in a jungle where everything is costly," Roderigues said. "We request the government to immediately open the bridge for the public so that the loot can stop."

At present, travel time between Naigaon East and West is about an hour, but the bridge would reduce it to 10 minutes.

Disha Gosavi, a student

The bridge would be a great relief for the two-wheeler riders as well. They have to ride to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway to refuel their vehicle, as there is no petrol pump in Naigaon East. "The nearest petrol pump is a 30-minute ride from here. But if the bridge is opened, we can travel to Naigaon West or Vasai in just a few minutes to refuel our two-wheelers," said Disha Gosavi, a student.

After completing the work, the MMRDA erected a 3-metre tall crash barrier so that heavy vehicles don't take the bridge.

Another resident of Naigaon East, Vilin Patil, said there is a dearth of good schools in his area. "So, the parents are bound to send their children to comparatively good schools that are located in Vasai. But the students have to travel a lot and by the time they return home, they are completely exhausted."

"Will the government give respite to these schoolchildren by opening the bridge to the public?" he asked.

His friend Atish Jadhav said, "If the bridge is opened, we can reach Vasai in 10 minutes from Naigaon East."

It is also a boon for medical emergencies, said Dinesh Bhoir, adding that snake and dog bite incidents are common in Naigaon East. "We can't rush the victims to the hospital immediately, as we have to travel for at least 90 minutes. Many people have succumbed to snake bites as they could not reach hospital on time."

"All the big government-run hospitals are located in Vasai, and it takes us about 3 hours to reach there. But if this bridge is opened, we can reach Vasai in 10 minutes…" Bhoir added.

The 1.3-km long Naigaon-Juchandra-Bopane bridge will be beneficial for traffic moving from Vasai West and Naigaon West towards Mumbai, Thane and Ahmedabad. Given the rapid developments taking place in this extended suburb of the Mumbai city, situated in the Palghar district, the vehicular traffic has increased substantially. Hence, the bridge was built.

‘Final touches'

However, MMRDA's Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas said the bridge is ready, but some final touches remain. "The bridge was made on April 1 and we made a video of it and uploaded it on our Twitter handle on April 6. But a few work related to the final touch will be completed in the next two-three days. Then, we will approach a minister to officially inaugurate it," he said. "The name of a minister [for inauguration] is yet to be finalised," he responded to a query on the matter.

On the proposals for a name, he said, "I am not sure who proposed where, but we have not received any names for the bridge from any political party. But, yes, we are yet to finalise the official name of the Naigaon bridge."