NH48 repair mess: Dark flyovers, uneven roads put motorists at risk

Vajreshwari phata flyover, near Virar along the highway, remains in complete darkness, putting motorists at risk. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Travelling on the National Highway 48 (Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway) stretch from Varsova bridge to Manor has become a nightmare for motorists, especially after sunset. During mid-day's visit to the highway, we found that streetlights on the majority of bridges were not operational. Additionally, several newly built white-topped road sections were uneven, with visible tyre marks left by vehicles, making the surface hazardous. We also observed that white-topping work on the bridges has raised the height of the road surface, effectively reducing the height of the safety walls, and thereby increasing the risk of accidents.

Lights not working

On Tuesday, this newspaper's reporter and photojournalist travelled along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway (NH 48) between Dahisar Toll Plaza and Manor. Of the 18 bridges on this stretch, only two - Dehakale Bridge and Shirsad Bridge - had functioning streetlights, while the rest were in complete darkness.

Varai flyover joins the list of 16 bridges plunged in darkness on NH 48

Motorist Hiren Patel, a frequent traveller to Gujarat, said, "Are the authorities waiting for a major accident to happen on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway between Dahisar and Manor? More than 95 per cent of the flyovers have non-functional streetlights, making nighttime driving extremely dangerous. I personally feel there should be more reflectors and signage installed before flyovers to prevent confusion for those who wish to take the road below."

When will the work be completed?

Ongoing roadwork near Durves adds to motorists' woes

Sumit Kumar, NHAI's manager for the Thane region, told this newspaper that the deadline for completing the work is April 30, and the project is progressing at a fast pace. "Of the total 112 km of white-topping work approved on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway between Dahisar and Charoti, 98 km have already been completed. The remaining work will be finished before the deadline," Kumar said.

Non-functional streetlights

"It is true that many streetlights are not working. This is due to underground cables that were damaged by various agencies working along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway between Dahisar and Manor. An estimate for repairing and laying new cables has been sent to NHAI for approval," said Kumar.

Concerns over extra weight

Functional streetlights on Virar Phata flyover

When asked whether the flyovers could withstand the additional load from the white-topping and cement concrete layers, the NHAI official said, "With assistance from IIT-Bombay, we are conducting load tests on flyovers where white-topping work has been done. We have only applied white-topping to small flyovers and box-type structures at key junctions, avoiding major bridges over rivers and long flyovers such as the Talasari flyover and Mahalaxmi Temple flyover. Additionally, metal panels, similar to those on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), will be installed on flyover safety walls to enhance safety and prevent accidents."

Safety concerns

Workers use epoxy to repair tyre marks on the concrete road of NH 48

During our visit to the stretch between Sasunavghar flyover and Manor, we noticed that white-topping work had been carried out on most flyovers. The new cement concrete road surface has added additional weight to the flyovers and raised the road level, but at the same time, it has effectively reduced the height of the safety walls on either side, making it dangerous for two, three, and four-wheelers.

Low safety walls on Varai flyover after white-topping work raise concerns. Pics/Anurag Ahire

Uneven road surface

The uneven road surface on Varai flyover along NH 48, posing risks for motorists

While travelling between Varsova and Manor, we observed several uneven highway stretches, with cracks that had been filled. Many areas bore tyre marks, suggesting that vehicles were driven over the freshly laid white-topped road. This poses a serious risk for two-wheelers, increasing the chances of skidding and serious injury. During our journey, we saw road contractors using an epoxy repair technique to fix the uneven surface, filling tyre marks with a material mixture and levelling the area.

Fresh cracks appear on the newly white-topped highway stretch

Bike rider Pushpak Tanavade said, "After the white-topping work was completed, some motorists drove over the freshly laid road, leaving deep tyre marks. These marks pose a serious risk for two-wheelers. It's good to see repairs being carried out, but another critical issue is the reduced height of safety walls on flyovers. Since the white-topping has raised the road level, the existing safety walls are now shorter, increasing the risk of bikers falling off in case of an accident."