Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation Faces Backlash Over Misleading Road Signage
A ₹1.12 crore road signage project recently undertaken by the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) has sparked public criticism and controversy after newly installed direction boards on the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Flyover and other key junctions in Bhiwandi were found to contain misleading location names and inaccurate route indications.
The project, which cost ₹1,12,68,429, was intended to improve traffic management by installing direction signboards, flyover signage, wall reflectors, speed-limit boards, and other traffic guidance infrastructure. It covers major flyovers including the Balasaheb Thackeray Flyover, Rajiv Gandhi Flyover, and Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Flyover.
However, local residents and social activists allege that several newly installed boards contain incorrect destination names that could confuse motorists, particularly first-time visitors.
The controversy primarily centres around a direction board installed on the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Flyover. Motorists entering the flyover from the Millat Nagar side are shown a right-turn direction towards "Nadi Naka." Local residents argue that the location immediately after the flyover ends is not Nadi Naka, but a road connecting directly to the main highway leading towards Wada, Vikramgad, and Nashik.
The issue escalated after photographs of the signboard went viral on social media. Citizens questioned how the error went unnoticed despite receiving approvals from multiple government departments.
Responding to the criticism, Harish Mhatre, a Junior Engineer with the BNCMC, clarified that the names displayed on the signboards were not decided solely by the municipal corporation. He stated that the names were finalised after receiving approval from senior municipal officials and the Traffic Police.
Despite the clarification, social activists have demanded a technical audit of the project. Social activist Iqbal Ahmad alleged that authorities approved the project without conducting proper field verification.
"Officials appear to have taken decisions while sitting in their offices without conducting proper field verification. One of the city's major exit routes has been labelled as 'Chavindra Road', whereas motorists across Maharashtra commonly identify this corridor as the Nashik Road," Ahmad said.
Ahmad added that landmarks like Nadi Naka and Kalyan Naka have long-established identities, and displaying inconsistent names reflects administrative negligence. He urged the BNCMC to conduct an immediate audit of every newly installed signboard to rectify the errors.
