With repair work on key bridge likely to coincide with onset of monsoon, authorities to request citizens to take alternative routes
Motorists will have to use the road below while the repairs are on. Representational Image
Motorists travelling on the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar road and Sion-Panvel highway should brace themselves for traffic jams in a few weeks, as the repair work on the Sion circle flyover is expected to start in the first or second week of June, due to which the flyover would be shut for a month. Officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said motorists will have to use the road below while the repairs are on. Currently, the Sion flyover has been closed for heavy vehicles.
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As part of the repair work, the expansion joints and ball bearings of the flyover would be replaced. The bridge has a total of 170 bearings that were supposed to be replaced from April 20. Speaking to mid-day, a MSRDC official said, "The work of manufacturing the bearings for the Sion flyover is in progress. We will procure them by the second or third week of June, after which the bridge will be closed for traffic while we carry out the replacement. We have planned out the work in such a manner that motorists won't have to face inconvenience. The bridge would be closed for no more than a month; our aim is to complete the work at the earliest."
Also Read: Mumbai: Sion flyover to be shut for two months starting April 20
Another MSRDC official said, "The diversion plan to avoid traffic congestion has already been submitted to the traffic police and they would be approving it in the next one to two weeks. They have assured us they will deploy traffic wardens at the spot to prevent jams."
Sharing the plan, a MSRDC official said, "The motorists coming from south Mumbai using the Dr Ambedkar road or the Sion-Panvel Highway stretch between Sion and Chunnabhatti to take the Santacruz Chembur Link Road will be advised to use Eastern Freeway. Motorists going towards western suburbs via Dr Ambedakar road will be requested to use the Sion Dharavi link road and take WEH to save time. Once the actual plan is approved by traffic police, the diversion routes will be shared with motorists to avoid inconvenience."
Also Read: Mumbai's Killer Roads: Bad planning makes Sion spot a nightmare
The traffic situation on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar road, Eastern Express Highway and Sion-Panvel road is already in terrible shape during the morning and evening peak hours. Plus, the work on the BKC-Chunabhatti connector near Somaiya grounds is also adding to the mess. With the closure of the Sion flyover, the situation might go from bad to worse.
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