An official on Thursday said, in an attempt to ease traffic snarls on the Ghodbunder Road in Thane city, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed that heavy vehicles will be permitted to ply on the route only between midnight and the early morning hours, reported news agency PTI.
As per a release issued by Shinde`s office, he chaired a high-level coordination meeting with senior officials from multiple departments late on Monday night and announced the measure.
The decision comes amid ongoing road works on the Ghodbunder Road stretch, which have significantly impacted traffic flow.
The deputy chief minister has instructed the traffic police and other agencies to enforce strict traffic regulations during the daytime, permitting heavy vehicle movement only between 12 am and early morning hours, the release stated, reported PTI.
Shinde has asked Thane Collector Shrikrishna Panchal to ensure seamless coordination between the Thane Municipal Corporation, Navi Mumbai police, Palghar district administration and Mira Bhayandar police and municipal administration, it stated.
“Strict action will be taken against officers who allow heavy vehicles on the route before 12 midnight and fail to enforce the new timings,” Shinde said in the meeting, reported PTI.
He asked Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) chief managing director Unmesh Wagh to ensure that heavy vehicles departing from JNPT to Ghodbunder Road are dispatched only after midnight.
Shinde also instructed officials to control the movement of vehicles coming from Ahmedabad toward Ghodbunder Road and ensure they are halted at designated locations such as Achchad and Chinchoti until midnight, reported PTI.
Provisions for temporary parking zones for these heavy vehicles were also suggested, the release said.
The deputy CM emphasised that these measures are temporary but essential until the completion of roadworks on the Thane-Ghodbunder corridor.
20 passengers injured after private bus hits another vehicle on Mumbai-Nashik highway
Meanwhile, as many as 20 passengers of a private bus sustained injuries after it hit another vehicle near Ghoti in Maharashtra`s Nashik district on Monday evening, police said, reported PTI.
The accident took place on the Mumbai-Nashik highway when the private bus was going towards Panvel in Navi Mumbai from Chalisgaon in Jalgaon district of north Maharashtra, an official said, reported PTI.
The driver lost control and the bus crashed into another vehicle. As many as 20 passengers of the private bus were injured in the accident and rushed to a local hospital for treatment, he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
