Eight-hour delay in repair work leads to frustration among commuters

Commuters in Thane faced hours of traffic gridlock on Wednesday as repair work on the Majiwada Overbridge encountered significant delays, disrupting travel plans and sparking frustration among locals and out-of-town drivers alike.

Scheduled for completion between the early hours of April 16 and April 17, the repair efforts faced setbacks, extending the closure well into the afternoon. This unexpected delay resulted in severe congestion in Majiwada, exacerbating the already notorious traffic conditions in the area.

The ongoing repair work obstructed access for vehicles heading towards Mumbai, JNPT, and Nashik from Ghodbunder, prompting authorities to close the bridge climb in front of the Broadway Petrol Pump. As a result, motorists were forced to seek alternative routes, causing further chaos on the roads.

Despite efforts to redirect traffic via the slip road in front of Majiwada Petrol Pump and Kapurbavadi Circle, the closure persisted until 1 pm on Wednesday, compounding the traffic woes for commuters.

While the Public Works Department (PWD) managed to complete the bridge repairs by 11:30 am on Wednesday, an additional delay of one to two hours was incurred for the applied cement to dry. Consequently, long queues of vehicles stretched from Ghodbunder to Thane and Mumbai, as well as from Kapurbavdi to Patlipad and the Mumbai-Nashik highway to Dhokali Highland, further aggravating the situation.