Thane: Municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao has set a firm May 30 deadline to complete critical infrastructure works along Ghodbunder highway—one of the city’s busiest arterial routes among others- ahead of the oncoming monsoon.Rao conducted a joint inspection of ongoing works across the Thane Municipal Corporation area, directing all concerned agencies—including the public works department, Metro authorities and MMRDA—to fast-track pending projects within their ambit and ensure smooth traffic flow for local motorists. Ghodbunder highway remains a crucial East-West connector and the fastest route for many commuters for residents staying beyond Kapurbawdi to access Thane railway station and the old city. However, motorists frequently face severe congestion on this stretch, particularly during the monsoon, due to waterlogging, ongoing works and narrowed lanes.Officials said the inspection, carried out Thursday, also covered the Eastern Express Highway, Kapurbawdi Junction, service roads and Gaimukh Ghat stretch where officials were instructed to urgently concrete the road shoulders opposite Gaimukh Chowpatty. “Emphasis was on concreting slip roads and those under metro pillars, service road merging, paver block installation and junction improvements, shifting of electric poles and pipeline relocation among others,” said an official quoting Rao. The administration has been instructed to plan traffic infrastructure such as road islands, bus bays and rickshaw stands, along with installing parking and no-parking signboards especially along the Ghodbunder stretch.
