Highrise residents swaying amid slow Metro work

An existing bottleneck and a narrow road are causing massive traffic jams; residents question the need of upcoming two Metro stations

The residents of high-rise towers at Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg near Gandhi Junction, connecting to Jogeshwari Vikroli Link Road (JVLR), have been facing extreme commuting hardship owing to the ongoing slow work of Metro line 4 (Wadala to Kasarvadavali ) and 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg).

Time and again, the residents have held meetings with Metro officials, competent authorities like the BMC, the MMRDA, and the local Member of Parliament, legislator, councillors, voicing their grievances about massive traffic jams. However, nothing has helped them till date, said Shirish Daudkhane, one of the residents and spokesperson for the Kanjurmarg Bhandup Clean ALM.

Daudkhane said, “Misery is adding up every day. First, the Metro 4 work started; for this, barricades were put in two years ago.

However, nothing has been completed till date on this said stretch.” He said this has only led to massive traffic jams, which was worsened by Metro 6 barricades put on the either side of JVLR flyover, reducing the number of lanes.

He rued, “What will happen once the Metro Gandhi Nagar station work starts at the junction? When any vehicle breaks down at this junction, traffic piles up to L&T and on Eastern Express Highway.” The Gandhi Nagar metro station is being built at a height which is equal to a 15storeyed building. Daudkhane asked if a fire emergency occurs how will fire fighting vehicles cross the extreme traffic bottleneck.

The residents have posed some serious questions, including if Metro station work on Line 4 or 6 will get completed within three years or five years. They have also sought clarity on if Metro 6 will be connected

to the underground Metro Line 3. Another question is over the Metro 3 car depot proposed at Kanjurmarg instead of Aarey.

Meanwhile, the residents on Thursday managed to get the left turn from LBS to Eastern Express Highway opened up for traffic movement. Daudkhane said, “We stressed on the East-West connectivity, which is on paper only. Then we suggested using the Cheddi Hotel space, and also about using the Naval Colony Road. However, nothing has materialised.” He said residents feel they will have to bear inconvenience for a socalled better tomorrow, which has become a havoc as of now.