The restriction is a follow-up to a similar ban imposed by the Mumbai traffic police in June 2022. At the time, heavy vehicles were prohibited from plying on the streets of Mumbai during morning and evening peak hours, including those originating within and outside Mumbai. Unable to enforce the ban, the Mumbai traffic police recently asked the MBVV traffic police to altogether bar south-bound heavy vehicles from entering Mumbai via Dahisar. They figured this would be more effective than trying to bar them after they crossed the city limits.
Only last week, HT had reported that state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik had directed transport authorities to designate separate lanes for heavy vehicles and regular four-wheelers, to reduce the wait time at the Dahisar toll plaza. His instructions came after his convoy had to endure a 10-15 minute halt at the toll naka due to lengthy queues.
Meanwhile, the MBVV traffic police concurred that there was virtual gridlock at the Dahisar toll plaza during peak hours, where queues of vehicles on the Western Express Highway were causing traffic congestion. Although the toll is meant for heavy vehicles only, four-wheelers were also held up as both share the same lanes.
“This caused inconvenience and disruption to other smaller vehicles, emergency service vehicles, ambulances, VIP convoys, etc., leading to a potential law and order situation,” said Suhas Bavche, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Headquarters, MBVV. He said a notification has been issued under Section 33 (1) (b) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 and Motor Vehicles Act.
“To streamline traffic on the national highway and service road in Mira-Bhayandar, as well as on other important roads in the city, it has become necessary to prohibit the entry of heavy and large vehicles heading towards Mumbai from Versova (Versave Police Chowki / Hotel Fountain) during the specified time period for traffic-management purposes, he added.
This restriction at peak hours will not apply to essential service vehicles such as police vehicles, revenue department vehicles, fire brigade tenders, drinking water tankers, school buses, vegetable transport vehicles, ambulances, vehicles permitted by the police, vehicles permitted by the district magistrate of Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and municipal commissioners of Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar, and vehicles permitted by the National Highways Authority of India.
In a separate development, the MBVV traffic police will bar motorists from halting on the Versova bridge, which spans the Vasai creek at the Ghodbunder Road junction between Mira Road and Bahyandar, on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway. The bridge had become a selfie point, turning into a traffic hazard and potentially endangering lives. The ‘no-parking’ restriction will apply to north-bound and south-bound traffic, on both lanes of the new bridge.
