As thousands of people spent hours stuck in traffic every day, crossing the old Vasai bridge to get to work, school, hospital or anywhere else, their only solace was that their troubles would be over as soon as the new flyover was opened. But when the new bridge remained shut even a month after it was ready, locals decided to take matters in their own hand, and opened it themselves yesterday.

Commuters forcibly removing the barricades to allow vehicles to ply. Pics/Hanif Patel