Union Commerce and Industry Minister and Mumbai North MP Piyush Goyal announced that heavy vehicles will soon be barred from using the Western Express Highway (WEH) during rush hours. This will reduce traffic congestion and make vehicle movement smoother.
The announcement followed a five-hour review meeting held on Sunday, November 2, with senior administrators and officials from various departments. The meeting took place in Borivali West and was attended by representatives from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Mumbai Police, Traffic Police, Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), and other government agencies.
As per sources, Goyal began the meeting by addressing the poor condition of public toilets along the highway. Goyal later told reporters that a focused effort would be made to identify and fix problem areas in the existing facilities. He added that finding land for new toilets was a challenge, and officials had been asked to explore the possibility of elevated or vertical restrooms.
There are 79 pay-and-use toilets along the Western Express Highway, most of them between Andheri and Dahisar. Out of these, 58 are undergoing major repairs, while 21 are being upgraded with minor work. Goyal said all 79 restrooms will soon be fully operational and maintained by private organisations.
The minister also said that large vehicles will be prohibited from entering the Western Express Highway during peak traffic hours. He stated that 108 large vehicles are currently used for various metro projects and that MMRDA will mark these vehicles with large stickers.
During rush hours, only these vehicles and BMC garbage trucks will be allowed. All other heavy vehicles will be banned. Goyal added that three major traffic bottlenecks on the highway have been identified and will be resolved soon.
Reports suggest that traffic police have been directed to enforce the heavy vehicle ban once the necessary arrangements are completed. Goyal also informed reporters that several hurdles related to the Coastal Road project have been cleared. These include issues related to salt pan land transfers, land acquisition, and coastal zone development permissions.
During the meeting, Goyal also instructed officials to inspect all water pipelines in the northwestern suburbs for leaks and damages. He directed that repairs be completed by the end of the month. He added that ten lakes in north Mumbai will be revived through desilting, cleaning, and beautification under public-private partnerships.
The minister issued strict directions to the SRA and BMC to blacklist developers who fail to provide flats or occupancy certificates on time. Goyal also stated that municipal officers will be held accountable if garbage piles are found in North Mumbai.
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