Six months after its inauguration, the Vile Parle flyover on the Western Express Highway is already showing signs of deterioration. Following heavy rains, a 200-250 metre section of the road surface has become uneven, creating issues for motorists driving on this stretch. Pics/ Ranjeet Jadhav
Updated On: 2024-09-28 03:57 PM IST
Compiled by : Sanjana Deshpande
The flyover was inaugurated on March 9 by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee. The project was seen as a major improvement for traffic flow near the domestic airport.
The flyover was designed to ease traffic congestion near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Domestic Terminal. It provides a new route to reduce delays for vehicles headed towards Bandra and Andheri, while also improving safety and reducing pollution on the Western Express Highway.
The construction of the flyover involved several innovative techniques, including the use of steel and PSC girders, as well as an inverted T arrangement. These methods were intended to enhance the flyover’s structural integrity and efficiency.
After just a few heavy rain spells, the road surface on the flyover has started to break apart. This has led to complaints from motorists about the poor driving conditions and concerns over the longevity of the construction work.
The flyover, measuring 790 metres in length, was constructed at a cost of Rs 48.43 crore. It was built to address traffic jams caused by vehicles coming from the Sahar elevated road and attempting to merge onto the Western Express Highway near the domestic airport flyover signal.
One of the main benefits of the new flyover was that it allowed motorists to bypass a major traffic signal near the domestic airport, reducing travel times for those heading to Bandra or the airport’s domestic terminal.
With the road surface already deteriorating within six months, questions have arisen about the quality of the materials used and the construction process. This issue could undermine the MMRDA’s efforts to improve traffic flow and safety on the Western Express Highway.