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Mumbai is synonymous with traffic snarls and staying stuck on roads for hours. However, a new project may bring some relief to motorists. The authorities are looking at the ‘Access Control Project’ or building controlled access roads to tackle the traffic congestion in Mumbai, according to News18 Lokmat. What is the Access Control Project? Through this project, underpasses and flyovers will be built at the most congested spots on the Eastern and Western Express Highways to make traffic flow smoother. Where will the Access Control Project be conducted? At first, the municipal corporation planned to build access control roads at nine locations, but four key spots have been shortlisted. Santacruz: Milan Subway area Vile Parle: Maruti Mandir (Hanuman Road) Borivali: Sudhir Phadke Road Eastern Express Highway: Under Anna Bhau Sathe Bridge. Project status Work has already started under the Anna Bhau Sathe Bridge, and construction at the other three western locations will begin soon. What is the technology being used? The most important part of this project is the ‘Box Pushing Technology’, said the report. In this method, pre-made RCC boxes are pushed underground using large machines. As the box moves forward, the soil inside is removed, so the road above stays open and traffic doesn’t stop. This means that while vehicles are moving above, an underground route is being built below. This technique has worked well for some railway underpass projects before, and now it will be used on the city’s expressways. The goal is to make traffic smoother, reduce travel time, and cut down on accidents by building flyovers and underpasses at crowded spots. IIT Bombay has been asked to study the technology and implementation plan, and the next phase of the project will start based on their report. Do controlled access roads ease traffic? Are there any in Mumbai A controlled-access road is a road or highway where entry and exit are allowed only at designated points, usually through ramps, interchanges, or service roads, rather than directly from properties or side streets. The examples are expressways and freeways such as the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, Yamuna Expressway, or Delhi–Meerut Expressway, National Highways with access restrictions, some urban bypasses or ring roads built to avoid city traffic. They are known to improve traffic speed and safety, reduce accidents caused by random entries/exits and enable smooth long-distance travel. With News18 Lokmat Inputs
