[ankurchaturvedi]

Please do avoid the area around Aurora cinema in Matunga today. Lots of traffic in the area and the entire road, including the king's circle area is full of traffic.Do use the eastern freeway if you are travelling towards Thane/CST. Seems like there is some Rajnikant movie releasing today and cars are parked haphazardly on the road. Compounding the mess are the news vans which have worsened the situation. Do avoid the patch. It took me the greater part of an hour to negotiate this patch today morning.

[sukhoi30]

Originally Posted by ankurchaturvedi

Seems like there is some Rajnikant movie releasing today and cars are parked haphazardly on the road.

That "some" Rajnikant movie is "Kabali". When Rajnikant movie is released all roads near a cinema is supposed to be used for parking and not driving. Get it!!

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

Those intending to drive on the Sion Chembur route take care. A large pothole bang in the middle of the curved flyover into Chembur. Drive safe.

Dear Farokh - hello once again. (I meet your dad almost everyday, it's a pleasure to interact with him). .

Yes, I know this pothole, it is very bad because it is so sudden! I pass this spot every Monday morning on my way to Pune. Last Monday, before the start of this bridge, I saw a "maa - pachas tola" chhap bearded tapori with white clothes with face bursting with pan with and a sort of an angry expression his face type of character (they are a dime a dozen all over the place) madly driving an empty autorikshaw in front of me. He just darted across from the Chunabhatti road without seeing and without any sort of concern at all. He climbed the bridge very fast. I quietly drove behind him to see if he made the mistake, he hit the thing head-on and collapsed his front suspension on the spot. I think the tire blew. I just gave him a dead-pan expression and carried on. The "pan" must have come out full force first thing, but I ensured that it missed my car, hahaha! . The whole world will improve, but these guys will always remain and behave like this only. No concern or regard for others at all! On this bridge, I just slow down and keep to the extreme right, to pass this deadly pothole. I'll see if they have repaired it, coming Monday.

Also, almost the entire stretch from the Octopus Bridge to Kharghar is bad now. Just keep to the extreme right and drive slow. It is only when the expressway starts at M/C Donald's that you get some respite.

PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL, IT'S A KILLER ROAD OUT THERE!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[FarPatel]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

On this bridge, I just slow down and keep to the extreme right, to pass this deadly pothole. I'll see if they have repaired it, coming Monday.

Also, almost the entire stretch from the Octopus Bridge to Kharghar is bad now. Just keep to the extreme right and drive slow. It is only when the expressway starts at M/C Donald's that you get some respite.

PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL, IT'S A KILLER ROAD OUT THERE!

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Behramji, that pothole has been filled, maybe a couple of days ago, but it's not going to last very long. I've seen bits of gravel already coming off and spreading on the road, so please take your usual amount of care.
And I've stopped using the main highway from Vashi to CBD until they restore the road. I take the Palm Beach marg. It's a couple of kms longer but much better and quicker. No potholes yet.
Cheers,
Farokh

[avdhesh15]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Also, almost the entire stretch from the Octopus Bridge to Kharghar is bad now. Just keep to the extreme right and drive slow. It is only when the expressway starts at M/C Donald's that you get some respite.

Originally Posted by FarPatel

And I've stopped using the main highway from Vashi to CBD until they restore the road. I take the Palm Beach marg. It's a couple of kms longer but much better and quicker. No potholes yet.

Thanks for the update. Haven't been on the expressway last couple of weeks due to a vacation but will be back from this week on. Will surely catch palm beach road for next one month or so.

[ghodlur]

Don't know if any one saw this new article in TOI.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/53360687.cms

The state government is planning of waiving off the toll for the cars.

LMVs are to be exempt from payment of toll at the five entry points of Mumbai. The five entry points are Eastern Express Highway, LBS road, Airoli, Vashi and Dahisar

This has been an year old story when the government in its drive to fulfill its poll promise of making the state toll free abolished the tolls on the roads operated by MSRDC and PWD. But then had a to pay a heavy price for compensating the toll operator. Even in the present announcement, the price is going to be steep, to be precisely in the tune of Rs 2500 cr. This is coming at a time when the Maharashtra state has the highest debt in the country.

This is a good news of the commuters who otherwise used to tear their hairs in frustration when passing through the tolls. Hopefully the additional modifications done to the lanes would also be removed which is another major bottle neck in the name of decongesting.

[FarPatel]

This is great news, if actually implemented. I hope Mr. Shinde makes this announcement within the next 5 days, and makes the rule effective from 1st August, so that we are spared from paying for the monthly passes or the daily charge from next month.

[Desmosedici]

Ricks are plying on the roads, maybe a bit less in numbers. Guess the so called strike against radio cabs hasn't materialized. Traffic slightly lesser than usual on WEH.

[ankurchaturvedi]

Heavy southbound traffic on EEH. All the way- from Mulund toll naka to JVLR turnoff, then again around Chembur. Sion as usual is bad. Evening i am expecting to it to be worse. Use Eastern freeway if possible.

[FarPatel]

Thanks Ankur, but I think it's eased up a bit now. Googlemaps shows only green and amber all through, except around Sion Station, where its always red. Fingers crossed for my return trip in the evening.
Guys, you may want to fill up today, in case the fuel bunks do go on strike from Monday due to the no helmets-no fuel rule.

[ankurchaturvedi]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

Fingers crossed for my return trip in the evening.

Thank you for your reply sir,

Well sir, i am safely back home in Thane now. Drove down from King's circle to Thane via EEH. Traffic was flowing smoothly (or as smoothly as it can on a friday evening on EEH).Traffic has eased up now. Was extremely bad in the morning.

[sukhoi30]

Those of you using the Thane Belapur road and the Sion Panvel highway would have experienced the terrible state of the roads in certain areas. Traffic jam at various sections of this road has become a daily occurrence.
Couple of flyover is being constructed along the reliance corporate Park so the road in this stretch has become one Lane causing terrible traffic jams.
Stretch from Hotel Ibis to Yogi Midtown has become like lunar surface. Everyday you will see traffic stuck here. Only part of right most Lane is in usable condition and all vehicles try to use it.

Now, there is detour to avoid all this...
1. Take the palm beach road but you will still have to pass the reliance flyover construction area.
2. Take the North Central road and South Central road through turbhe MIDC.

I took the N Central road and S Central road a few times when I noticed heavy traffic jams on TB road in gmaps. It starts from Thane and goes all the way to the DY Patil stadium. You can join this road from Airoli or Rabale also. I found this road to be virtually empty. It is smooth and really nice to drive on. All the time I used this road, I did not see many vehicles. But you need to keep an eye on speed breakers which comes before every intersection. There are no signals on this road so it's an uninterrupted drive. It is almost the same distance covered as TB road. I recommend all to try this road instead of struggling on the TB road.
I wonder why this road cannot be used exclusively by heavy vehicles.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by sukhoi30

2. Take the North Central road and South Central road through turbhe MIDC.

Sukhoi 30, I tried this route. Many thanks for recommending the same. Thane Belapur road was showing all red on Google Maps and roads are in the worst condition. The North and the South central road is fully concrete hence in good condition.

[FarPatel]

They're not renewing the monthly passes at the Vashi Toll Plaza now. They waved me away on Friday, signalling 'two more days', and did the same this morning. Are they waiting for confirmation of cancelling the passes for private vehicles, as was in the news a week ago?
I showed my last month's pass at the toll gates and they let me through, though I did see them taking cash from some; I guess those who didn't have the stickers on their windshields.
If anyone has any confirmed news please put it up.
Cheers

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

They're not renewing the monthly passes at the Vashi Toll Plaza now. They waved me away on Friday, signalling 'two more days', and did the same this morning. Are they waiting for confirmation of cancelling the passes for private vehicles, as was in the news a week ago?
I showed my last month's pass at the toll gates and they let me through, though I did see them taking cash from some; I guess those who didn't have the stickers on their windshields.
If anyone has any confirmed news please put it up.
Cheers

Thats news man. My monthly toll pass was up for renewal at Eastern Express Highway Mulund. I just called up the toll guys to confirm if the waiver for small cars is in place and they confirmed its not. They have not received any directive as yet from govt and gave me a go ahead for online toll pass payment. This is confusing. I will call them up again and get an update.

Edit: Called the Mulund toll guys and in charge confirmed that monthly toll is still effective, the waiver for small cars is not yet in place.