Does Four-Lane Highway In Mira Bhayandar Abruptly Transition Into Two? Civic Body Says Not 'Design Flaw'

Mumbai: After being on the receiving end of harsh criticism over a four-lane highway in Mira-Bhayandar, part of Mumbai’s Metro Line 9 project, abruptly narrowing into just two lanes, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has issued a clarification saying that the sudden change is not due to a “design flaw”, but is based on road width constraints, and future network planning.

The MMRDA stated that the flyover has been designed with two lanes for Bhayander East and future connecting two lanes for Bhayander West. It reasoned that since the Bhayander East arm comes first along the alignment, the four-lane configuration presently transitions into two lanes. The remaining two lanes on the outer side are planned as part of the future extension towards Bhayander West across the Western Railway line, it said.

Detailing the plan, the urban development body stated that till the Golden Nest Circle, a busy traffic junction in the area, where five major roads merge and the traffic volume is high, a 2+2 lane flyover integrated with the Metro, along with slip roads on both sides, has been provided to disperse traffic effectively.

Beyond the junction, towards Bhayander East, the available right of way reduces as per the Development Plan. Accordingly, a 1+1 lane flyover with dedicated up and down ramps has been constructed along the median to provide uninterrupted movement towards the Railway Phatak Road, the MMRDA said, adding that this design enables smooth crossing of one of the busiest junctions in the Mira–Bhayander region while accommodating on-ground constraints.

The MMRDA said that provision has been kept for future widening. The outer side of the flyover on both carriageways may be extended by an additional 1+1 lane to ensure improved east–west traffic continuity. The proposal is currently at the planning stage and will be taken up in coordination with the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), after obtaining approvals from the competent authorities.

Speaking about the current state of the flyover, it said that currently it has been designed primarily for traffic dispersal and congestion reduction in the Mira–Bhayander area. Necessary safety measures have been incorporated, including rumble strips, delineators, adequate signage, retro-reflective tags, directional boards, and anti-crash barriers, it added.

The MMRDA further said that traffic police guidance is being actively sought for any additional vehicular safety measures before opening the flyover for public use.

What Was The Controversy

After a social media post showed a four-lane section of the Mira-Bhayander flyover abruptly narrowing into two lanes, the Congress party took a dig at the civic authorities saying that it is "Maharashtra’s engineering miracle."

The Opposition party further said that such 'miracles' have become common under BJP governments, whetehr it is in Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh, adding that the government does not care since there is neither responsibility nor accountability. The flyover first caught national attention when an X handle, 'Gems of Mira Bhayandar' posted it and it soon went viral. 

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