Thanekars divided about MMRDA's recent plan to ease traffic at Teen hath Naka

The MMRDA has approved a Rs 300 crore plan to construct two 'U' shaped flyovers in addition to the existing one at Teen Hath Naka Junction to reduce the waiting time at the signals. The authorities also plan to remove signals once the project is completed. While some sections of people welcomed the news, a section of experts, activists and residents begged to differ.

The intersection is often termed as the world’s most ‘congested’ junction due to its infamous bumper-to-bumper traffic and long wait times. According to media reports from 2014, the intersection receives 16 lakh vehicles in a day.

Currently, there is one flyover on the Eastern Express Highway which allows traffic to bypass the busy junction located at the crossroads of Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg and the Eastern Express Highway ahead of the toll plaza.

“The existing flyover is not sufficient to cut the traffic, we are hoping for one that diverts the vehicles going towards Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Nashik. During peak hours we turn the signals off and manually guide the traffic as signal length of 24- 40 seconds does not suffice to ease the traffic flow,” said a traffic police officer.

Residents of Thane have mixed feelings regarding the construction of the flyover.

An auto-rickshaw driver, who refuses to take this route during peak hours due to the long wait, finds it unsafe driving on the intersection as he has met with a couple of minor accidents previously.

Sneha Singh, a social activist from Thane said, “We are not against development, we appreciate that MMRDA is taking steps to decongest the junction. But we are unsure the flyovers will help decongest the junction. A similar U-shaped flyover at Majiwada Junction is a total failure, people rarely use that circuitous flyover, instead they use the main road below the bridge. Similarly, it is unlikely that these two bridges will successfully decongest the traffic at the junction."

Singh suggested that MMRDA release a detailed report and video about the plan to clear the public's doubts. "In the past the MMRDA had planned the reconstruction of the old flyover, what happened to that project," she questioned.

“Why is the MMRDA planning this? Just sitting in an AC conference Hall and planning all this, without surveying the actual facts is unacceptable. They are using our tax money, and I feel this is useless. We already have a metro line that the MMRDA says will decongest traffic, so why is this being proposed?” questioned a local Rajneesh Kulkarni.

No year goes without any construction work that leads to traffic. The traffic is worse in Majiwada than at Teen Hath Naka, when will MMRDA think about that, asked Anil Shinde who uses this junction.

“I don't feel that the project will be useless, the project can have the ability to transform the whole junction. I feel all those who are questioning this project do not travel from this junction,” said Farhaan Shaikh, a regular at the junction.

Says Ashutosh Singhania, a Kopri resident, “I want to question the MMRDA, that the number of cars won't become less once this project gets completed. You are expecting to close the signals and force everyone to use the proposed flyovers, but wont the flyovers get congested? Ultimately it would be the common man who will be stuck in traffic. Mr Kapil Dev has bought a home in a nearby under construction building at the same Junction, I am sure in the coming years when he will look out from his balcony, he will surely say 'Teen Hath Naka ke traffic da jawab nahi.”

When FPJ asked MMRDA Commissioner S.V.R Srinivas about the project he said, “With hectic traffic, the two U-shaped flyovers planned by MMRDA are really needed. If the Majiwada flyover is a failure, then it was not executed by us but by MSRDC and we just funded it. Grade separation North-South is needed there. When I met with the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) commissioner Abhijit Bangar, he said it is still in the examination process, so we will meet again and decide. We need an elevated road and underpass at the junction.”

Thane Traffic Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinay Kumar Rathod said, “The U shaped flyover at Teen Hath Nath is rightly planned by the MMRDA and it will definitely help in easing the traffic. Avoiding constructing the flyover is not a solution. The Majiwada flyover is very helpful for the residents.”