Mumbai [India], September 16: Traffic movement towards Navi Mumbai could become more difficult after the Ganpati festivities as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) prepares to begin construction of a crucial flyover pillar at the Mankhurd T-Junction. The junction is already a major bottleneck for motorists travelling from the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road towards Navi Mumbai, and officials are concerned that the new construction activity could further reduce the available road space.
The Mankhurd T-Junction connects traffic from the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road with the Sion-Panvel Highway. At present, vehicles travelling towards Navi Mumbai already experience slow movement as traffic merges onto the highway. Construction activity on the opposite side has also narrowed the carriageway for motorists travelling from Navi Mumbai towards the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road, resulting in delays, particularly during peak hours.
The next phase of construction is expected to add another challenge. The BMC is planning to start work on a flyover pillar at the T-Junction after the Ganpati celebrations. Traffic police officials have not yet cleared the proposed construction arrangement and are discussing alternative traffic-management measures with the civic authorities.
A traffic police official told The Indian Express that discussions are underway with the BMC to identify an alternate route because the Mankhurd T-Junction is already a bottleneck. The official said construction of the pillar is expected to begin after the festivities and that authorities are working on ways to manage traffic during the construction period.
For daily commuters, the concern is mainly about longer waiting times. One regular commuter quoted in the report said vehicles are already waiting at the junction for around 30 minutes, raising concerns that construction at the same location could lead to another major traffic gridlock.
The flyover itself is part of a ₹1,958-crore project planned to improve connectivity between the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road and the Navi Mumbai-Pune corridor. The project consists of two vehicular arms measuring approximately 1.47 km and 1.93 km. One arm is intended to provide direct access towards Navi Mumbai and Pune for traffic coming from the Ghatkopar side, while the other will connect vehicles travelling from Navi Mumbai to the existing Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road flyover.
Once completed, the flyover is expected to allow motorists to bypass the existing signal at the Mankhurd T-Junction. This is intended to improve traffic flow through one of the important links between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The BMC has set August 2027 as the completion deadline for the project.
However, commuters may have to deal with construction-related disruptions before they can benefit from the completed flyover. Since the available carriageway is already restricted in some sections, the addition of another construction zone could put further pressure on the road network. The impact is expected to become more noticeable once normal traffic volumes return after the Ganpati festival.
The Sion-Panvel Highway has already experienced disruptions because of the ongoing project. On April 29, a piling rig being used for flyover construction overturned near Maharashtra Nagar. The incident resulted in the death of Mumbai Police constable Santosh Gopal Chavan and caused significant congestion on the highway.
For motorists travelling between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, the Mankhurd stretch is particularly important because it carries substantial traffic between the two regions. Any reduction in road capacity at the T-Junction can have a wider effect, with queues potentially extending towards connecting roads and the Sion-Panvel Highway.
Traffic authorities are therefore looking at diversion options before the pillar work begins. The effectiveness of these arrangements will depend on how much road space remains available during construction and how efficiently vehicles can be redirected around the work zone.
The flyover is ultimately being built to remove the existing bottleneck and provide a smoother connection between Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune. But until construction is completed, commuters using the Mankhurd route may need to account for additional delays, particularly during morning and evening peak periods.
With the Ganpati festivities now nearing their conclusion, traffic authorities and the BMC will have to finalise the construction plan and traffic diversions before the next stage of work begins.
