A newly built flyover in Mira Bhayandar that narrows abruptly from four lanes into two lanes as drawn criticism over its design and has raised safety concerns. SABAH VIRANI explains the concerns around the flyover and the response of the agency that has built it.
WHAT THE FLYOVER IS PART OF
The flyover runs along Metro Line 9, which is close to inauguration. It connects Mira Bhayandar Road with Golden Nest Circle in Bhayandar, one of the busiest junctions in the area where five roads meet and traffic remains heavy throughout the day.
According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, the flyover is meant to reduce congestion on Mira Bhayandar Road by offering a grade separated route for vehicles travelling towards Bhayandar.
Local residents have questioned the design, pointing out that the flyover narrows sharply as it merges under Metro Line 9 near the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Garden station.
MMRDA’S RESPONSE
Responding to the viral video, MMRDA said the lane transition was intentional and based on physical constraints at the site.
“The transition is based on available road width constraints and future network planning,” the authority said in a post on X.
It explained that the descending ramps have been kept at two lanes because the right of way on the road below reduces near Railway Phatak Road. According to the agency, narrowing the ramp helps maintain smoother traffic movement at ground level.
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WHY IT BECOMES FOUR LANES AND THEN TWO AGAIN
MMRDA said the flyover follows a two plus two lane pattern near Golden Nest Circle, where traffic from several directions converges. The structure then splits, with two lanes meant to go towards Bhayandar East and two lanes planned in the future towards Bhayandar West.
“Since the Bhayandar 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 Bhayandar West across the Western Railway line,” the authority said.
For now, only the Bhayandar East arm will be operational.
PLANS FOR FUTURE WIDENING
MMRDA said the flyover has been designed with scope for expansion at a later stage. It added that one additional lane on each side can be built in future to improve east west connectivity.
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“Provision has been kept for future widening, wherein the outer side of the flyover on both carriageways will be extended by an additional one plus one lane to ensure improved east west traffic continuity,” the authority said.
It added that the proposal is still at the planning stage and will require coordination with the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation and approval from the competent authorities.
SAFETY MEASURES ON THE FLYOVER
The authority said multiple safety features have been built into the structure to guide drivers through the changing lane pattern and reduce accident risks.
These include rumble strips, lane markers, signage, retro reflective tags, directional boards and crash barriers.
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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The flyover is expected to open along with Metro Line 9 and is projected to play an important role in easing congestion on the Mira Bhayandar Road corridor.
However, the unusual lane transition has highlighted the difficulties of fitting large transport projects into densely built urban areas. Whether the design works smoothly in practice will only be known after the flyover opens to traffic.
For now, MMRDA has maintained that the layout is part of a phased plan and that future extensions will address the concerns raised by locals.
