BMC Bridge Work In Andheri West Causes Massive Traffic Jams And Inconvenience

The demolition of the bridge above Mogra Nallah in Andheri West by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has caused widespread disruption in the area, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report. Shastri Nagar Road, a key connector linking P Tandon Marg to Sundervan Complex and passing Bhaktivedanta School at Yavateshwar Marg, was closed on Wednesday night to facilitate the demolition. This has resulted in significant inconvenience for commuters and over 100 families living nearby.

A civic official from the BMC's bridges department explained the situation in the HT report: "The bridge was declared dilapidated over a year ago. We have now obtained a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the traffic department and have begun reconstruction, which will take approximately 18 months."

Shastri Nagar Road serves as a crucial alternate route connecting two major roads-Link Road and Four Bungalows Road. Dhaval Shah, founder of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA), expressed concerns over the road closure. "This road is heavily used by pedestrians, commuters, and school buses for Bhaktivedanta School. Its closure will cause major inconvenience," he said according to the same report.

Residents of the area have been particularly affected. Kaushal Nagpal, a resident of Andheri West, highlighted the difficulties faced by senior citizens. "On Thursday, an elderly person fell and sustained a head injury," he said as per the HT. Nagpal also noted the challenges of parking, explaining that he and many others now have to leave their vehicles on the main road due to the bridge closure.

Adding to the inconvenience, ongoing footpath repairs in the area mean that pedestrians lack safe walking spaces. "There's not a single footpath available," Nagpal added.

Karan Jotwani, a resident of Oshiwara, shared his frustrations, saying he now has to take longer routes to visit his parents in Shastri Nagar. "With the bridge shut, I've started using Link Road, but the BMC has begun digging it up near D N Nagar, causing massive traffic jams," he said. According to Jotwani, delays of up to 40 minutes were reported due to congestion.

He further criticised the timing of the BMC's projects, pointing out that both Link Road and Four Bungalows Road are currently under repair. "The BMC should have completed work on Link Road first before shutting down the bridge," Jotwani said. "The bridge was declared unsafe a year and a half ago, yet the reconstruction has only just started, alongside other roadworks."

Jotwani noted that travel time between Oshiwara and Sundervan Lane has more than doubled due to the closure. "It used to take me 10 minutes by car, but now it takes at least 25 minutes," he said.

Residents are urging the BMC to coordinate its projects better to minimise disruption and ensure smoother traffic flow in the area.