Mumbai: Metro 2A, 7 provides much-needed respite to motorists on Western Express Highway

Motorists using the Western Express Highway (WEH) say the launching of Metro lines 2A and 7 have reduced traffic on the route by almost half, with many commuters opting for Metro rides instead of travelling by road.

The services of Metro lines 2A and 7 were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan 19, and they commenced operations the very next day. Metro 2A runs between Dahisar East to DN Nagar, while the 7 joins Andheri East with Dahisar East. Meanwhile, the WEH stretches from the suburbs of Mira Road to Bandra.

Boon for motorists from western suburbs

Commuters and motorists from the western suburbs have been complaining for years about the situation on the WEH, with the route being congested with traffic at any time of the day. Commuters blamed poor traffic management and bad roads. Several motorists also complained of back and neck problems, wastage of fuel, time and energy, and started using rail services instead. However, rail services were also not a convenient option, especially during rush hours.

A resident of Andheri jokingly said, “Now I can't give excuses in my office about traffic being the cause of my late arrival as these days I reach on or before time. The one day I travelled via auto-rickshaw, as my car was being serviced, even the auto driver was relieved due to the change, and this was during peak hours of the morning. It's almost dreamlike and unbelievable.”

Smooth sailing on WEH

Another commuter tweeted, “Unanimous feedback from people who travelled was that southbound traffic was also very smooth in the morning today. Surprisingly, the fastest route for travel to Thane – google showed me via WEH rather than Ghodbunder Road. This used to be the trend only during the lockdown.”

Reports from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Saturday revealed that more than 10 lakh commuters have used the two new Metro lines since their launch. The Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), which connects the WEH via the JVLR junction, also has ongoing Metro construction work, which brings in backlog traffic along the way. The FPJ had earlier reported how commuters travelling via JVLR, which connects the eastern and western suburbs, have demanded to speed up the work and ease traffic.

What the public is saying

On Friday, I travelled from Andheri to Kurar for work. The usual estimated time is more than an hour in my vehicle but it did not take more than 25 minutes that day! It was a pleasant surprise. Since the time I've come to Mumbai almost 12 years back, this is the first time that the WEH feels insanely smooth

– Rajshree Katke

It's only good that the Metro has happened, after all those years. People, including me, were always cribbing about the construction work of the Metro creating havoc, but now it all feels worth it. The WEH is now what an express highway should feel like. Traffic flows smoothly during the day and at night