Ghodbunder Road one of Thane’s busiest connectors linking the Eastern and Western Express Highways has turned into a daily hazard zone. Deep potholes, poor lighting, unmarked diversions and long traffic snarls have made the stretch unsafe and exhausting for lakhs of commuters who use it every day. Residents say they have been waiting for years for a traffic-free, safe Ghodbunder Road a dream still far from reality.
Traffic Troubles Affect Daily Life
The endless congestion not only delays office-goers for hours but also disrupts students during exams, leaving them unable to reach centres on time. In an attempt to escape bumper-to-bumper traffic, many motorists take the wrong side of the road, putting lives at risk. Despite crores of rupees spent and repeated promises, deadlines continue to stretch for years.
Thane’s Ghodbunder Road Crisis | FPJ Photo
Citizen Activism Highlights Chronic Failures
To understand the ongoing issues, social activist Shraddha Rai, founder of the #JusticeForGhodbunderRoad initiative, has been actively engaging with authorities. A media professional and a key figure in the citizen movement against traffic mismanagement, she built a large WhatsApp community that now operates 40 groups, alerting and informing over 1 million people about Ghodbunder Road updates.
Her group regularly coordinates with the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), traffic police and Public Works Department (PWD), demanding proper planning and accountability.
Lack of Coordination Among Government Agencies
Ghodbunder Road begins at Kapurbawdi junction near the Eastern Express Highway and ends at Ghodbunder village, connecting to the Western Express Highway. The nearly 20-km stretch falls under multiple agencies, including TMC, PWD and MMRDA.
Thane’s Ghodbunder Road Crisis | FPJ Photo
Thane’s Ghodbunder Road Crisis | FPJ Photo
However, development projects often begin without coordination among these departments. As a result, multiple works are carried out simultaneously on the same stretch, triggering massive traffic jams.
Gaimukh Ghat: A Major Bottleneck
One of the biggest choke points is the Gaimukh Ghat, where the four-lane road suddenly narrows to two lanes, slowing down traffic significantly.
Repairs are ongoing, but progress is delayed due to pending permissions from the Forest Department, which is dealing with concerns over illegal activities, environmental impact of an elevated corridor project, and past violations such as tree pruning that destroyed bird nests.
Poor On-Ground Management
Citizens complain that there is no professional oversight at construction sites — no city engineers, no signage, and no lighting. Workers operate without technical guidance, leading to unsafe conditions.
Authorities begin repairs without creating proper diversion routes, and the alternative roads available are in even worse condition. Residents say diversion routes should have been repaired first.
Untrained Traffic Wardens Add to Chaos
With traffic police understaffed, locals demanded additional traffic wardens. While TMC deployed them, many are either too old, too young, or not properly trained. Their mismanagement often worsens congestion instead of easing it.
Residents demand trained wardens who fully understand traffic rules and ground requirements.
Public Transport Fails to Meet Demand
Heavy congestion has pushed more people toward private vehicles because public transport is overcrowded and insufficient.
Lakhs commute daily on this stretch, but ST buses, TMT buses and other services remain packed round-the-clock. Citizens insist the government must strengthen public transport to reduce pressure on the road.
Potholes Return Within a Month
The poor quality of road material results in potholes reappearing within weeks of repairs. The cycle of patchwork never ends, and the potholes themselves have become death traps.
Shockingly, 18 people have died between January and October 2025 due to pothole-related mishaps.
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