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Traffic snarled up in city, thanks to Xmas weekend

The traffic movement was slow moving due to the long weekend of which the most affected was Dahisar toll naka, followed by Mulund (EEH) and Airoli

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Traffic snarl at Mulund checkpost on Saturday
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Long queues, honking vehicles, and traffic jam at many places — the scene on major arterial roads and at five toll nakas entering and exiting the city limits on Saturday was annoying. And it's not just the highways, even rail traffic was affected, thanks to the long weekend ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

There are five toll nakas in the city — Dahisar, Vashi, Airoli, Mulund (Eastern Express Highway) and Mulund (LBS Marg). "The traffic movement was slow moving due to the long weekend of which the most affected was Dahisar toll naka, followed by Mulund (EEH) and Airoli. Late on Friday night, a few vehicles were also allowed to pass without paying toll owing to traffic snarls on EEH," said a Mumbai Traffic Police officer.

Sumit Mangar, a resident of Kandivali, said, "I started at 10 am from Kandivali for Virar, and I had reached Bhayander at 1 pm due to slow traffic at Dahisar toll naka. From there it took me another hour to reach Virar, ie four hours to ply between Kandivali and Virar using the Western Express Highway."

Further, vehicular movement was also on slow pace on Mumbai Pune Expressway, due to a container tumbling near Amrutanjan Bridge. A state highway traffic police officer said: "The container toppled on the Pune-bound lane near Amrutanjan Bridge at 5.30 am on Saturday due to which vehicles started piling up."

"The container was moved out of main carriageway at 1.45 pm after which the traffic was moving smoothly. However, the traffic volume is going to be much higher up to December 31 due to many going towards Lonavala and Khandala for Christmas and New year celebrations," he added.

Viraj Mamania, a resident of Borivali said, "I took bus for Pune from Borivali at 7 am and it took my bus around 8 hours to reach Swar gate in Pune due to slow moving traffic on Mumbai Pune Expressway."

In case of Mumbai-Goa Highway, vehicular movement was slow moving due to excess vehicles. The junction at Khopoli going towards Mumbai Pune Expressway and Mumbai Goa Highway also saw slow moving traffic.

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde, Chairman, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), in a statement assured that vehicles will be exempted from paying toll if traffic goes beyond the yellow line.

Further, the Railways operated extra services for Christmas and New Year, but at the same time due to mega blocks the services were running late or getting cancelled. To begin with the Central Railway operated the four day mega block between December 22-25 for completing the Seawoods-Uran Railway line.

The CR authorities will cancel around 210 train services during this period and run more than 100 special services on the Harbour line. On December 22-23, the CR carried out work during non-peak hours due to which 64 services got cancelled on the Nerul-Panvel section. On December 24, they would cancel 12 services while on the night of December 24-25 that would start at 2am and end at 3pm; authorities shall cancel 124 services on harbour line and 40 services on trans harbour section.Trains will however be available between Vashi and Thane during this period.

DON’T PAY TOLL

Eknath Shinde, chairman, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), in a statement assured that vehicles will be exempted from paying toll if the traffic goes beyond the yellow line.

Choked or slow moving traffic

Dahisar toll naka

Mulund toll naka

Vashi toll naka

Airoli toll naka

Western Express Highway

Jogeshwari-Vikhroli

Link Road

Moving traffic

Eastern Express Highway

S.V Road

Linking Road

Santacruz Chembur Link Road

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