Mumbai: Mid-Day nudge gets Lokhandwala road fixed after residents flag danger

Vehicles crawl over the uneven road stretch outside Runwal Elegante on P Tandon Marg, Andheri West; (right) The uneven stretch was repaired after mid-day’s report. Pics/Satej Shinde

Acting swiftly after mid-day highlighted the hazardous condition of a key Lokhandwala road, authorities have repaired the uneven stretch opposite Runwal Elegante in Andheri West. The damaged patch had been causing bottlenecks and posing a serious danger to two-wheeler riders.

On November 22, mid-day reported how residents were frustrated with the ongoing Mumbai Metro Pink Line 6 work, claiming the road over the Mogra nullah had become dangerously uneven due to prolonged construction. With two lanes shut for over a year, traffic had been choking daily. During a follow-up visit on Tuesday, this reporter found that the uneven section of road had been repaired.

Lokhandwala resident Gaurav Maini said, "We are glad that after the mid-day report, authorities finally acted. This will ease traffic and reduce accident risks, especially for two-wheelers. We now hope the contractor completes the pending girder launching of Metro Line 6 so the second lane can also open soon."

Residents have repeatedly urged agencies to fast-track the remaining girder launching over the Mogra nullah. One side of the bridge has been completed, but the other has remained shut for over a year, forcing all vehicles into a single narrow lane in each direction. A thin pedestrian strip exists, but locals say it is inadequate and unsafe.

Runwal Elegante resident Mugdha Khandekar said, "I don't understand why authorities only wake up after the media reports these issues. We pay taxes and deserve safe roads. With so many infra projects ongoing in Mumbai, agencies must regularly inspect sites and maintain proper road and footpath conditions throughout the work period."