Girder work begins for Mangaon bypass flyover over Konkan Railway line on Mumbai-Goa highway

There is news for people travelling to the Konkan on the Mumbai-Goa national highway. Work on the girders of the flyover being built over the Konkan Railway line on the Mangaon bypass has begun. It is hoped this will speed up the highway work, which has been stalled for several years.

The Mangaon bypass has been much discussed for years. With girder work starting on the flyover over the Konkan Railway route, the project has made significant progress. It is believed this could speed up the remaining work on the bypass. If this stage is completed, traffic jams in the area could ease and travel on the highway is expected to become somewhat easier.

The highway links Mumbai with the Konkan and a large number of vehicles pass along it every day. For those heading to the Konkan from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune, this is the most important route. But because work has dragged on for years, people face traffic jams at some places.

Work on the Mumbai-Goa national highway has been stalled for about 14 years for various reasons. It was initially expected that the project would be finished on schedule, but it ran into many hurdles. As a result, some stretches have been built while some key stages remain incomplete. Once the highway is complete, benefits could include easier travel between Mumbai and the Konkan, shorter journey times, fewer difficulties for motorists and better traffic management.

Unfinished work in the Mangaon and Indapur areas slows down vehicles. The situation worsens during festivals, and long queues often form as traffic builds up.

During Ganeshotsav, Diwali and the summer holidays, thousands of people take this route to reach their villages. The Mangaon jam can then add several hours more than expected to the journey. Small children, the elderly and people travelling with families feel the hardship more.

However, the start of girder work alone does not mean the entire bypass will open to traffic immediately. The rest of the construction of the bridge, the necessary technical work and related procedures are yet to be completed. An official date for when the entire bypass will be completed and opened to vehicles needs to be made clear.

Residents of the Konkan and motorists using the Mumbai-Goa highway are therefore watching how fast the remaining work on the Mangaon bypass proceeds. If this key stage is crossed, the work on the long-stalled highway is expected to gain pace and bring relief to travellers.