Mumbai-bound commuters using the new Vashi creek bridge will have to brace for about 20 days of inconvenience starting from Tuesday, as the Public Works Department (PWD) will start work on maintenance of expansion joints.
Vehicles headed towards Mumbai from Navi Mumbai will have to use the Mumbai-Vashi lane, while those coming from Mumbai towards Navi Mumbai will be diverted to the old Vashi bridge, adjacent to the new one. The six-lane divided carriageway bridge, spanning 1837.35 metres, was constructed by the U.P. State Bridge Corporation in 1997.
“The old bridge can be used only by four-wheelers and light motor vehicles, and emergency vehicles like ambulances and some buses. Heavy vehicles will not be able to use it. We have decided on Airoli bridge as an alternate route for the heavy vehicles,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Nitin Pawar said.
Heavy vehicles travelling towards Navi Mumbai will have to take the Nashik Highway, and then the Eastern Express Highway to Vikhroli onwards to Airoli toll naka. From there, heavy vehicles intending to go towards Vashi will have to take a left from Diva village circle to Patni Company to Mukund Chowky, and then take Thane-Belapur road to go towards Rabale, Mahape and then to Turbhe, from where the vehicles can go towards their destination.
“In collaboration with the Mumbai Traffic Police, we are working on trying to make these 20 days as hassle-free as possible by putting up enough notifications and boards near the diversion points. Due to the heavy vehicles entering the alternate roads, heavy traffic is expected on those routes and we will ensure extra bandobast of policemen at these places,” Senior Police Inspector Satish Gaikwad from Vashi traffic unit said. The changes will begin on January 23 at 1 a.m. and continue till midnight on February 12.
