Navi Mumbai: With the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) expected to become operational soon, civic and traffic authorities have begun drawing up plans to ease the anticipated surge in vehicular load across key city roads.
Heavy Vehicle Diversions
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is in talks with the traffic police to divert heavy vehicles through the MIDC area from Uran Phata to decongest the Sion-Panvel Highway, which will be one of the main corridors leading to the airport.
Focus on Palm Beach Road
Municipal Commissioner Kailash Shinde said Palm Beach Road (PBR), the city’s arterial link from Thane and Vashi, will carry both airport-bound and local traffic, making it highly vulnerable to bottlenecks. “Upgrading and maintaining Palm Beach Road will be our highest priority since there is no scope for expansion,” Shinde said.
Ongoing Infrastructure Projects
Several infrastructure projects are already underway, including a flyover at Turbhe, the Airoli–Katai Naka flyover, and phased concreting of the PBR stretch up to the NMMC headquarters. “We are sequencing projects one after another to minimise disruptions, as undertaking them all at once would worsen traffic,” Shinde explained.
Coordination with MSRDC
NMMC is also coordinating with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to strengthen connecting roads leading into Navi Mumbai. With traffic from Mulund expected to funnel through Airoli and Mumbai-bound vehicles from Vashi, officials said careful coordination will be crucial to avoid gridlocks.
Widening Plans and Traffic Management
DCP Traffic Tirupati Kakade said that measures to widen Palm Beach Road near Killa Junction are being studied, including removing the footpath opposite Killa structure at Killa Junction.
“Palm Beach Road would get congested, but since there are signals at all important junctions, we assume that traffic jams can be avoided. National Highways Authority of India is also planning flyovers along Palm Beach Road,” Kakade said.
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Airport Inauguration
NMIA is expected to get inaugurated on October 8 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gautam Adani had landed with his private jet on Tuesday at the airport to check the readiness of the airport.
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