BMC closes Mumbai's Aarey Flyover gap after mid-day expose

Before: An auto slips through the broken barrier at the southern end of the Aarey Milk Colony flyover on Western Express Highway on April 18; (right) After: The same spot on Wednesday, more than a week after mid-day brought the matter to light. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Taking serious cognisance of mid-day reports highlighting how motorists were executing illegal left turns through a gap in a barrier at the southern end of the Aarey Milk Colony flyover on the Western Express Highway, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has plugged the opening with concrete.

On Tuesday, when mid-day visited the spot, civic workers could be seen applying concrete in the gap to prevent motorists from taking a left turn, thereby accessing a service road. The following day, the work had been completed. However, this reporter saw a few two-wheeler riders taking U-turns further south from the spot and riding back in the direction of oncoming vehicles, increasing the chances of accidents.

Before: Two-wheelers slip through the gap in the barrier at the south end of the Aarey Milk Colony flyover on the Western Express Highway on April 18; (right) After: The same spot on Wednesday, more than a week after mid-day brought the matter to light. Pics/Nimesh Dave

The issue

The gap, created after the removal of a road median on the southbound carriageway, allows vehicles descending from the flyover to take an abrupt left onto the service road, raising safety concerns.

25.33 km
Length of Western Express Highway

What prompted BMC action

On April 20, mid-day brought the matter to light. After this, the traffic police installed plastic barricades to prevent vehicles from taking left turns, but it was observed that these devices were being moved by motorists. After this newspaper highlighted the dangers of this, Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner, instructed civic officials concerned to install a permanent divider/median at the spot.