Thane: A first of its kind integrated and comprehensive traffic management plan for Thane district will be prepared in the next 15 days to ensure smooth flow of vehicles on the vast network of arterial roads here, especially during the monsoon, informed collector Rajesh Narvekar.
Narvekar made the announcement following the first meeting of the special task force set up last year by urban development and guardian minister Eknath Shinde for mitigating traffic congestion in the district, especially on the arterial roads and highways cutting through the district.
As per plans, all agencies, including the NHAI, PWDMMRDA, MSRDC, along with the municipal agencies that have undertaken civic works or construction or upgradation of roads, will be part of this project. The agencies will have to submit the status of their ongoing works after which the task force will analyse the situation and chart out viable alternatives to avoid last-minute rush.
“This is a novel initiative and our focus is to integrate and plan movement of vehicles based on the road works going on in various parts of the district at a certain time. The executing agencies will update us about the timeline and status of their ongoing works following which we will plan diversions and alternative routes in advance. Our emphasis is more on ensuring there are no snarls on the highways during the monsoon,” said Narvekar, who chairs the task force.
It may be noted that the arterial roads in Thane district were clogged with frequent instances of traffic snarls extending for kilometres at a stretch being reported last monsoon. The situation earned a lot of flak for the authorities as intra-city motorists were also stranded for hours at a stretch along with heavy vehicles.
Some of the points of concern in Thane district are the Bhiwandi bypass (Mumbai Nashik highway), Ghodbunder road, Western and Eastern Express highway and Shil road, among others.
The force will also survey locations for setting up parking bays for outstation heavy vehicles at vantage points along the highways. “We will construct parking bays for heavy vehicles during any congestion situation and thus ensure the highways don’t remain clogged for domestic motorists,” said an official. The task force will also keep tabs on the schedule of works in each areas and will assist the agencies at government level to expedite works if required.
Narvekar made the announcement following the first meeting of the special task force set up last year by urban development and guardian minister Eknath Shinde for mitigating traffic congestion in the district, especially on the arterial roads and highways cutting through the district.
As per plans, all agencies, including the NHAI, PWDMMRDA, MSRDC, along with the municipal agencies that have undertaken civic works or construction or upgradation of roads, will be part of this project. The agencies will have to submit the status of their ongoing works after which the task force will analyse the situation and chart out viable alternatives to avoid last-minute rush.
“This is a novel initiative and our focus is to integrate and plan movement of vehicles based on the road works going on in various parts of the district at a certain time. The executing agencies will update us about the timeline and status of their ongoing works following which we will plan diversions and alternative routes in advance. Our emphasis is more on ensuring there are no snarls on the highways during the monsoon,” said Narvekar, who chairs the task force.
It may be noted that the arterial roads in Thane district were clogged with frequent instances of traffic snarls extending for kilometres at a stretch being reported last monsoon. The situation earned a lot of flak for the authorities as intra-city motorists were also stranded for hours at a stretch along with heavy vehicles.
Some of the points of concern in Thane district are the Bhiwandi bypass (Mumbai Nashik highway), Ghodbunder road, Western and Eastern Express highway and Shil road, among others.
The force will also survey locations for setting up parking bays for outstation heavy vehicles at vantage points along the highways. “We will construct parking bays for heavy vehicles during any congestion situation and thus ensure the highways don’t remain clogged for domestic motorists,” said an official. The task force will also keep tabs on the schedule of works in each areas and will assist the agencies at government level to expedite works if required.