[sunilch]

Originally Posted by Maverick1977

I am quite fortunate to stay just 6 kms from my work place. People in many parts of the world would be super jealous of this, but when it takes more than an hour to cover even 6 kms and your average speed is 5 kmph it is a cruel joke that life is playing on you.

I have the daily task of crossing from Andheri East to West and unfortunately this has been the scenario on multiple occasions. Sad that we pay so much for fuel, and get terrible roads which result in crazy traffic snarls.

Originally Posted by sandeepsc

Ha Ha! It’s a part and parcel of our life. As I mentioned in my previous post it takes me approximately 1.5 hours to reach to my office which is 10 Km from my home. It’s a punishment we get every day. Life is full of stress on Mumbai roads.

Mumbai is quite different from other cities due to its current physical layout / population demographics.

Saying this because, hear me out - it takes me 50 mins desk to door to cover 31 Kms when traffic is sparse. On a bad day, it can take me 3 hours but that is becoming rare and rare these days. This is by car. By bike, I can reach office in 40 mins on a lucky day.

There were days, a few years back, when it was a dream to be able to cover this much distance on account of multiple bottle necks in the path in the form of Traffic Signals, wrongly laid out junctions and Toll-booths.

But in recent years things have improved and some more fly-overs are in development on the eastern side of the city. Once these and the Metro work is done, it will be a breeze to drive in Mumbai. This is the reason I love driving to work as I get a chance to stretch the legs of my car and also have some fun on my bike everyday (well almost). I also manage to extract a good mileage from the car (15+ kmpl from a pure petrol 1.5 NA engine )

This is BKC to Thane. I am sure folks living on the western side are unlikely to find this pleasure during regular hours of the day. Hope things will improve over time.

[sandeepsc]

Originally Posted by sunilch

But in recent years things have improved and some more fly-overs are in development on the eastern side of the city. Once these and the Metro work is done, it will be a breeze to drive in Mumbai. This is the reason I love driving to work as I get a chance to stretch the legs of my car and also have some fun on my bike everyday (well almost). I also manage to extract a good mileage from the car (15+ kmpl from a pure petrol 1.5 NA engine )

It is very optimistic to say that things will improve after ongoing works are completed and it will be breeze to drive in Mumbai. Don’t take me wrong but there are so much different agencies working on Mumbai roads that this is never ending scenario. One work will end and another agency will dig up the road. Now MMRDA has planned to concretize 33KM long two lanes from each side of the median on Eastern Express Highway. The work will start from early next year. Imagine what chaos it will create.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by sandeepsc

It is very optimistic to say that things will improve after ongoing works are completed and it will be breeze to drive in Mumbai. Don’t take me wrong but there are so much different agencies working on Mumbai roads that this is never ending scenario. One work will end and another agency will dig up the road. Now MMRDA has planned to concretize 33KM long two lanes from each side of the median on Eastern Express Highway. The work will start from early next year. Imagine what chaos it will create.

Hehe, wish me luck. I wasn't aware of this plan at all. If they start this next year, we will go back to old days of needing 2 hours to cover 30kms as there will for sure be 2-3 bottleneck points due to barriers. Metro work will need another 3 years at-least before we can get some of those barriers removed.

I was referring two two flyover bridges currently in development around Chembur/Ghatkopar area as currently these two are the only bottlenecks on the EEH.

Once the new Kopri bridge became operational, things have slightly improved at that point. Of-course now the bottleneck has shifted from Kopri bridge to the next bridge - Teen Hath Naka Bridge.

And of-course, the grand plan to extend the Eastern Freeway upto Thane will take another generation and my Kids are likely to benefit from it

[sandeepsc]

Actually there is a scarcity of the land in Mumbai which rather puts limit on new development. When problem at one bottle neck is resolved, it is then shifted to next place creating another bottle neck. Every project is car centric and no one think about improving public transport.

[jigar1791@gmail]

Originally Posted by sunilch

I am sure folks living on the western side are unlikely to find this pleasure during regular hours of the day. Hope things will improve over time.

In agreement with your statement, few reasons I could comprehend to agree with you -
1. WEH has become a major arterial road, unlike EEH which is a true blue highway.
- You have everything on WEH - from housing colonies having their entry/exit gates on the highway, commercial complexes (NESCO/Nirlon etc) to small commercial establishments/manufacturing units with their pickup vehicles parked, permanently blocking 1 lane (start from Borivli heading south, you can see these shops/residential complexes from Magathane upto Andheri).
- Local 2 wheeler and auto traffic for short distances prefer the WEH, creating a maze kinda situation for long distance drivers.
- This reduces the theoretical availability of a 4 lane, signal-free corridor from Bandra upto Dahisar, to just 3 lanes!

2. Ongoing Metro construction works
- Metro line-7 is under construction since the last 5 years, though the viaducts and the grider construction work is 100% complete, currently, you see station construction works going on at multiple locations. 1st encounter is at Andheri, Goregaon (Aarey flyover), Malad (Pushpa Park) and Kandivli (Magathane) - on both carriageways.
- Construction equipment again blocks 1 complete lane, thereby creating bottlenecks at these locations.

3. Multiple other construction activities happening on the WEH
- Start from Borivli southbound, you'll come across - Thakur Village road merging activity, Samata Nagar safety net installation work (going on since 1.5 years), Pushpa Park road re-surfacing activity and Andheri underpass construction.
- These bottlenecks result in jams, effectively wasting precious productivity-hours and fuel!

4. Private buses occupying lanes to pickup passengers
- Be it morning (southbound from Borivli) or evening (northbound form Bandra), you'll encounter private buses coming form GJ/RJ/MP (terminate at either Khopoli or at Mumbai Central) AND going to KA/AP/GOA (originate at Borivli) from Mumbai.
- These buses occupy the entire last lane while picking up pax from their designated pickup points (read = at the beginning/end of a flyover to avoid signals underneath the floyover). Pickup points - flyovers of National Park, Thakur Complex, Pushpa Park, Aarey Colony, Andheri.
- Free flow of vehiclular traffic is affected as these buses block the last lanes of the flyovers (traffic constables stationed hardly care to ask these buses not to stop on either end of a flyover!)

Theoretically, WEH is a 25 km long, signal free, high-capacity corridor. In practice, it's just another arterial road serving the western suburbs of Mumbai!

I have not accounted for the situation from Borivli towards Dahisar Check Naka onwards to GB Road junction (Fountain Hotel). Some things in life are better off, if you experience it first hand!
~ jis galli mein jaana nahin, uska pata puchkar kya karein

PS - these are excerpts from a daily driver to and from Borivli to Powai, using the WEH+ JVLR to commute.
All views expressed above are in personal capacity as an observer. The driver has figured there's no point ranting on the situation OR even talking about it!!
Keep calm, because TGIF !!!

[IamNikhil]

The Metro work in Mumbai is primarily delayed only due to political shenanigans. While the netas are busy massaging their egos, it's the common public which is bearing the brunt of the regular delays. Half the arterial roads are dug up and are functioning as one lane in either direction. Don't see this situation improving anytime soon. Rather, it might go from bad to worse.

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by IamNikhil

The Metro work in Mumbai is primarily delayed only due to political shenanigans. While the netas are busy massaging their egos, it's the common public which is bearing the brunt of the regular delays. Half the arterial roads are dug up and are functioning as one lane in either direction. Don't see this situation improving anytime soon. Rather, it might go from bad to worse.

In Mumbai you need to rile up folks and do a peaceful mass street protest/human-chain on a weekday (so that most people notice) on EEH and WEH roadsides (with police permission of course, which is easily obtained), with banners etc asking for MM3 depot to be in Aarey only in the interest of completing the project quickly and with maximal operational efficiency.

It needs to be organized. If a weekday isn't possible (needs people to take time off), then Sunday.

It works, trust me. We did this in Bangalore about 3 years ago, where we riled folks in our extended neighborhood to doing a human chain on ORR for demanding a skywalk on Bellandur ORR after numerous accidents. Media and all came, we got ample coverage including being asked to come on a TV debate panel. The result is for all to see, we got our skywalk 3 months later (Sanjay Giri skywalk).

Basically you need to get the silent majority to start speaking up.

The plan of shifting the MM3 depot out of Aarey is a moronic idea.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by vharihar

The plan of shifting the MM3 depot out of Aarey is a moronic idea.

Agree with your post I live in Mumbai, will be happy to be a part of such a protest.

I didn't get the last part, however I don't have much knowledge on that, hence asking you. Why do you think Aarey is feasible ?? Currently the depot is planned at Kanjurmarg next to EEH, right ??

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by jigar1791@gmail

1. WEH has become a major arterial road, unlike EEH which is a true blue highway.
2. Ongoing Metro construction works
3. Multiple other construction activities happening on the WEH

4. Private buses occupying lanes to pickup passengers



Keep calm, because TGIF !!!

All points except 1 are applicable to EEH as well. Also, apart from the InterCity busses, these days even local transport busses (organized like CityFlo and unorganized ones too) have created a mess. On BKC to Thane route, you will see multiple CityFlo busses that drive as if those are bikes. Sudden lane changes, no turn indicators and even jumping from main road to service road and vice-versa multiple times. Even on flyovers, they change lanes like bikers. This is specific to CityFlo from my observations.

Before the pandemic, I used to go to Malad west and it would take me minimum 2 hours to complete that 35 Km journey. So I have the first hand experience of Dahisar Check Naka. But it was nothing when compared to moving from Malad west to Malad East. Sometimes that itself will need 1 hour

I guess this is a lucky period at present that I am driving in. It may soon may vanish

[IamNikhil]

Originally Posted by vharihar

In Mumbai you need to rile up folks and do a peaceful mass street protest/human-chain on a weekday (so that most people notice) on EEH and WEH roadsides (with police permission of course, which is easily obtained), with banners etc asking for MM3 depot to be in Aarey only in the interest of completing the project quickly and with maximal operational efficiency.

The plan of shifting the MM3 depot out of Aarey is a moronic idea.

Originally Posted by vivek95

I didn't get the last part, however I don't have much knowledge on that, hence asking you. Why do you think Aarey is feasible ?? Currently the depot is planned at Kanjurmarg next to EEH, right ??

Couldn't agree more vharihar. Unfortunately for Mumbaikars, every protest attains political colours. Also, considering that the last public uprising happened to "Save Aarey", doubt whether a counter to it will now take shape effectively. That campaign itself was unfortunately led by the buffoons who are currently ruling.

Vivek95: FYI, a major portion of the Metro work was already completed at Aarey, which was ratified by no less than a Supreme Court verdict. It is only after the political ballgame shifted that the new government unilaterally decided to halt the ongoing work at Aarey and shifted it to a remote corner at Kanjurmarg, which is currently under dispute since it's a private land. The government is currently locked in a legal battle with a private party for control of the land, post which we will see some movement. So basically, not only is the public exchequer losing money by the day, but the project itself is being delayed further. Multiple committees led by distinguished bureaucrats have already given adverse reports about shifting the Metro work to Kanjurmarg, citing a host of reasons, but as we routinely see in our country, politics trumps everything else. Since the power is vested in the hands of politicians who are intent on pursuing their own agenda for whatever reasons, nothing gets done!

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by vivek95

Agree with your post I live in Mumbai, will be happy to be a part of such a protest.

I didn't get the last part, however I don't have much knowledge on that, hence asking you. Why do you think Aarey is feasible ?? Currently the depot is planned at Kanjurmarg next to EEH, right ??

The depot at Kanjurmarg is far from being a done deal. It is very much mired in issues.

Let me try to explain in greater detail ...

Firstly, the depot at Aarey was in the original plan, based on DPRs (Detailed Project Report) that had been prepared and approved after due diligence. Environment clearances had been obtained and MM3 construction was going great with active tunneling for UG metro and regular updates. Much later when environment groups (led by Zoru Bathena, Stalin, etc and aided by the young Thackeray for political reasons, as also Bollywood biggies like Ravina Tandon, Farhan Akhtar, etc) began objecting for tree cutting, even the Supreme Court stepped in and gave clearance eventually. Basically every proper democratic process had been duly followed in going on to construct Mumbai Metro Line 3 with depot intended to be built at Aarey (with no less an accomplished person like Ashwini Bhide leading spearheading it, and Fadnavis holding war room meetings reviewing such works. This fact is legendary and well known, just google it. See Ashwini Bhide's video and tweets for example).

What should be termed “playing politics” is the environment groups and MVA politicians’ efforts to derail the Aarey depot, as an attempt at one-upmanship. You cannot call the “lack of approvals coming in for Kanjurmarg depot” as “playing politics”, because that came much later in time when all technical merits exist in following the original DPR for MM3 depot at Aarey.

One needs to get practical, lets talk facts. Sanjay Gandhi National Park is 87 sq kms in size, which is over 21000 acres (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjay..._National_Park). Of this, metro depot was asking for a miniscule 25 hectares, which is less than 0.3% of the total size. And that too for a low carbon footprint solution like the metro. Which world are the environmentalists living in by opposing such projects I don't understand!

Kanjurmarg depot (in north-east Mumbai) is good for some other metro lines but not for MM3 which is located largely in south- and south-west-Mumbai, because else the MM3 rakes would need to travel empty on a line shared with MM6 from SEEPZ till Kanjurmarg. That'd reduce the frequency of trains on MM6 besides reducing profitability and causing operational inefficiency. Mixing and matching rakes is possible but perhaps isn’t easy because MM3 rakes are by Alstom whereas MM6 is likely by BEML, and such interoperability was never in the DPR so I wouldn’t be surprised if it can’t be done. More importantly, the elevated stations on MM6 are shorter and can't accommodate MM3 rakes. The only way to fix that would be retendering the rakes (with penalties) or elongating the MM6 stations which is a big deal, or building 2 additional elevated lines along JVLR from SEEPZ till Kannamvar Nagar parallel to MM6 but dedicated for MM3. That is a huge cost, besides resulting in nuisance to residents for an additional 4 years construction period and the eventual reduced road and footpaths widths.

An unbiased and nice analysis purely on technical points: https://themetrorailguy.com/2020/10/...to-kanjurmarg/

In general, it is foolish to take the approach that "environment above all else". Everything has a cost, saving the environment needs to be seen with cost in mind too. If it takes 100 billion US dollars to save one tree, would one still say "go for it"? Everything has a cost. One can't take the position Save trees at any cost! Such metro projects are also crucially important. Trees can be re-planted (and transplanted albeit to a lesser degree) with nearly 0 cost after the construction finishes. But if a crucial metro construction is delayed, then it's cost of construction in future escalates sharply, and all during that time there is increased pollution due to poor public transit systems that throttles traffic. Trees should NOT be allowed to come in the way of public infrastructure construction. Instead, if there's a way to build the public infrastructure and then plant trees on its sides after the construction, then I'd rather push for that option. Every country does this and has gone through this interim environment damage (but we don't see this when we visit the developed world because we only see their final product, not how it looked during construction). In every country it looks like a war zone during construction of large projects.

The standard disclaimer of "anti-Aarey isnt anti-metro" is just a cliched dialog at this time, it doesn’t hold water. In the absence of the environmentalists being able to provide any feasible solutions, it is best if they just stay home rather than just pose problems for which they themselves don't have “feasible” solutions. Anyone can pose problems, but finding feasible solutions is hard, and sometimes you need to do tradeoffs for the larger good. It's the same in engineering design. The Aarey depot was the best tradeoff from every measured analysis.

Finally, guess what, that area in Aarey is anyway being misused as a parking lot and God knows as what else! See: https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/...w/79217773.cms

[AkMar]

Very well put, vharihar Sir, specially the last 3rd last paragraph. Couldn't have worded it better myself. Couple of additions:

1. Most of the trees that needed to be cut for Aarey depot were already cut. So by shifting depot out from Aarey what exactly are we saving?

2. The plot is not even part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. It is a part of Aarey colony which is outside the national park. Even in Aarey colony it is on the very fringes, and not part of the densely vegetated parts of Aarey colony. Royal palms residential complex, Film city are far more deeper inside forest than the carshed plot. There are lot of slums also which are in the interior parts of Aarey compared to carshed plot.

3. Initial plan was to use 30 hectares of land. Following objections about trees, MMRCL revised the plan to use only 25 hectares, leaving out 5 hectares which had dense population of trees.

4. About compensatory plantation, I have not seen any government organisation being as transparent as MMRCL on this aspect. They had released even species wise breakdown of saplings planted by them. Total number of saplings planted was around 20000.

Attached images from report of Saunik committee which was formed to evaluate Aarey vs Kanjurmarg & ruled in favour of Aarey.

[AkMar]

Another argument of save aarey activists is that carshed is first step to destruction of entire Aarey by builder lobby. To this my response always has been, then whenever that hypothetical destruction happens, protest against it by all means. But blocking crucial project under that excuse is foolishness. Whenever I put this point on Twitter, none of them replies back.

Few months back a Twitter user dug out satellite imagery from 1960s which clearly shows that the carshed plot has less than 100 trees. You can see the Twitter thread here

[MadinMumbai]

Originally Posted by vharihar

The depot at Kanjurmarg is far from being a done deal. It is very much mired in issues.

I am no expert so would like to understand how the MM3 rakes will get on the MM6 line? I mean, I don't expect the rakes that are underground at SEEPZ to do a 90 degree turn and a vertical climb, from below the ground to an elevated line, like a Harry Potter train. Muggle world has to contend with boring considerations of physics and geography.

I am assuming that a ramp, semicircle in nature, will have to be built that allows the metro line to make a turn and climb to the height of the elevated line. Now I have already mentioned that I am not an expert, but I would assume this ramp will have a large arc, maybe a kilometre in length, that will have to be built through Aarey Milk colony. Wouldn't this be the same stretch of land as the one being disputed?

[MadinMumbai]

Originally Posted by sunilch

Mumbai is quite different from other cities due to its current physical layout / population demographics.

Saying this because, hear me out - it takes me 50 mins desk to door to cover 31 Kms when traffic is sparse. On a bad day, it can take me 3 hours but that is becoming rare and rare these days. This is by car. By bike, I can reach office in 40 mins on a lucky day.

This is BKC to Thane. I am sure folks living on the western side are unlikely to find this pleasure during regular hours of the day. Hope things will improve over time.

You know when you have it good you shouldn't crow about it. I think you've gone and jinxed it. Someone in government has heard that misery isn't being equally shared. EEH is in for some longterm sarkaari love.