Mumbai: New shortcut road at Kapadia Nagar aims to ease traffic, but confuses commuters

The new route lacks basic infrastructure, such as streetlights. Pic/Shadab Khan

Easing traffic congestion at the Kapadia Nagar Junction, a new road has been opened by the civic body, providing a shortcut to those travelling between the University of Mumbai Gate No. 1 in Kalina and Bharat Nagar in Bandra East. However, commuters say that the infrastructure needed for the road is still not in place. As this reporter reached the area, it was obvious that the road itself is very hard to locate while trying to get onto it from the university side. Making the situation worse, the road, which is almost as wide as a four-lane road, has an exit/entry point from the university side about the size of a single lane.

Jitendra Gupta, Citizens Transport Committee

Activist AV Shenoy of the Mumbai Vikas Samiti, who noticed this, said, "The infrastructure is very lacking, and the route becomes unsafe for anyone who wants to walk on the road after dark. It is difficult to navigate an unlit road. If the authorities decided to open it for public use, infrastructure should have been in place."

A section of the road that is still under construction

The road is also incomplete, with a section of the route in the Bharat Nagar direction still under construction. This results in traffic in both directions plying on the same side of the road along the stretch, without any divider. An autorickshaw driver requesting anonymity, told mid-day, "It gets difficult when there are two cars or bigger vehicles coming together. This will remain an accident-prone area until the work is completed."

An extremely narrow, damaged section of the new road

Local resident and Citizens Transport Committee member Jitendra Gupta, told mid-day, "The road has a good purpose - connecting two places that previously took a lot more time to get to. But till the infrastructure isn't completed, it is a concerning area on the safety front."

AV Shenoy, activist, Mumbai Vikas Samiti

He added that the work should be completed as soon as possible. "This would make the road safe for motorists and pedestrians."

mid-day contacted the BMC H East ward to check when the work would be completed, but did not receive a response till the time of going to press.