Thane Police Restrict Small Vehicles on Mumbra Bypass During Peak Hours
Thane Traffic Police have blocked access to the Mumbra bypass for small vehicles during morning and evening peak hours starting Monday, restricting the four-kilometer road exclusively to heavy vehicles during those designated time windows.
Under the selective access plan, small vehicles are instructed to use the old internal Mumbra road from Retibunder to Kalyan Phata during peak hours. The restricted peak times run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the morning and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the evening.
In addition to restricting small vehicles on the bypass, the traffic police have banned heavy vehicles travelling from Thane towards Kalyan and Panvel from entering the city during these same peak hours. Heavy vehicles must instead park in two lanes on the bypass during the restricted periods from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. They are permitted to proceed towards Kalyan Phata and beyond only after 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Detailing the reason behind the decision, Mumbra Traffic Division Inspector Atul Aher noted that there have been several instances of motorists, particularly office-goers travelling during morning and evening hours, getting stuck in traffic jams for hours on the Mumbra bypass. Because the approximately four-kilometer-long stretch provides no option to change routes once on it, authorities decided to implement the selective access system.
However, the move has met with opposition from local representatives in Thane. Shanu Pathan, the Opposition leader in the Thane Municipal Corporation, stated that the new measures will further complicate the local traffic situation instead of easing it. Pathan advocated for an alternative approach, suggesting that rather than diverting small vehicles into internal city roads, the traffic police should deploy traffic wardens at the beginning, middle, and end of the Mumbra bypass. He added that authorities should strictly ensure one lane remains free for small vehicles to pass through at all times.
