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. (Story by Ranjeet Jadhav, Pics/ Anurag Ahire)
Updated On: 2025-01-31 12:31 PM IST
Compiled by : Joy Manikumar
Uneven surfaces, unlit bridges are just one half of problem; IIT-Bombay now roped in to conduct load study to check if concreting of bridges has made them unsafe. (In Pic: Fresh cracks appear on the newly white-topped highway stretch)
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."
(In Pic : Vajreshwari phata flyover, near Virar along the highway, remains in complete darkness, putting motorists at risk)
He added, "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.” (In Pic: Varai flyover joins the list of 16 bridges plunged in darkness on NH 48)
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." (In Pic: Functional streetlights on Virar Phata flyover)
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. (In Pic: Workers use epoxy to repair tyre marks on the concrete road of NH 48)
During Midday visit, 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. (In Pic: Low safety walls on Varai flyover after white-topping work raise concerns.)
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." (In Pic: The uneven road surface on Varai flyover along NH 48, posing risks for motorists)
