They may no longer be highways could be just plain, simple roads

Renaming could be a fallout of ban on sale of liquor within 500 mts of highways

The Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH) may be renamed following the recent denotification by the Maharashtra state government as a result of the ban on sale of liquor within 500 metre of the highways. The WEH may be renamed as Western Urban Road and EEH may be renamed as Eastern Urban Road as part of city roads.

The WEH which runs from Bandra to Dahisar in the suburbs and EEH which stretches from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus up to Thane have been handed over to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for repair and maintenance for a period of the next five years.

Though MMRDA is maintaining the highways the decision to rename the highways will be taken by the state government.

The MMRDA has cleared its side that even if the highways are going to renamed completing the maintenance and repair work before monsoons is the priority. Pravin Darade, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, said, “If the highways are to be renamed we will write the new names beside the original names on all the present signages. It may be difficult for the citizens to suddenly register the new name of the highways so we will mention it in a bracket and bear the cost of the same if at all we get a direction from the state government.”

The probable name change may affect the ownership of these highways but not the funds received for the highways.

UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, said, “If it is highway it is maintained by the government either state government or central depending whether it is a state or national highway.

“If it is not a highway then the municipal body or any private body that is given the task can maintain it. We took over these highways because our construction work was going on these roads.”

Passing the buck to the state government, Madan said, “We have never named any roads so far and naming or renaming roads is the prerogative of the government. These highways have been given to us for five years for maintenance so we have no business in naming or renaming them.”

The Western Express Highway may be renamed as Western Urban Road and Eastern Express Highway may be renamed as Eastern Urban Road as part of city roads