Mumbai: Kurar subway to get Rs 24-crore facelift

Traffic jams take place as the subway is not wide enough and pedestrians also don't have a demarcated lane. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Traffic jams take place as the subway is not wide enough and pedestrians also don't have a demarcated lane. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The subway on Western Express Highway near Kurar village in Malad will be widened and repaired soon. The plan has been in the pipeline since many years and MMRDA will soon invite tenders for it.

Over the years, the number of vehicles has gone up in the neighbouring areas and due to many developments coming up in the vicinity, there are a lot of traffic jams during morning and evening peak hours.

The subway is not wide enough which also creates traffic jams during peak hours. At times traffic police and traffic marshalls are present to monitor the situation.

'Will solve traffic problems'
A traffic police official, on condition of anonymity said, "From a long time we wanted the subway to be repaired and widened, and it is good that MMRDA is finally going to widen it. This will help in solving a lot of traffic related problems that take place near it."

The local residents also feel that the subway should not only be wide enough, but should have reserved lanes for pedestrians which are at present absent, as majority of the space is used by vehicles. The locals also feel that there is a need for more lights in the subway along with proper ventilation.

MMRDA Joint Project Director Dilip Kawatkar said, "The current subway does not have much space for the vehicles because of which there are traffic jams near it and so the decision to widen it was taken. We have invited tenders and more than Rs 24-crore will be spent on the project."

The authorities expect the widening will be done in two years from the time the contract is awarded.