Mumbai: Reopening of Hughes Road Pushed to June 10

The NS Patkar Marg, also known as Hughes Road, will open for traffic from June 10, as per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). 

The road was damaged after Malabar Hill witnessed two landslides last year within a span of two months resulting in a road cave-in at NS Patkar Marg. This event also damaged BG Kher Marg (Ridge Road) which will reportedly undergo repairs after the monsoon subsides. 

Read - Landslide Reported In Mumbai's Malabar Hills

While the rebuilding of the retaining wall, laying of drains, and general road repair was to be completed by the end of May, the deadline has been delayed by more than a week to June 10. It’s worth mentioning that the monsoon is expected to begin in the city by the 11th of June.

BMC’s Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), P Velarasu said that the embankment work will complete by June 8 while drain work and cement concreting of the road have concluded. The restoration plan was designed by a team of experts from IIT Bombay. The plan involved constructing 2,000 piles that would establish a firm connection between the earth and the rock. 

Mumbai Traffic Police said that although the civic body hadn’t provided a precise timeline for the opening of the Kemps Corner stretch for motorists, they were given a completion timeline of around a fortnight.  

Also read - Malabar Hill Landslide: Lack Of Stormwater Drains To Blame, Officials Say