**Navi Mumbai Prepares for Anticipated Traffic Surge Ahead of NMIA Inauguration**
With the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) expected to become operational soon, civic and traffic authorities have begun drawing up plans to ease the anticipated surge in vehicular load across key city roads.
### Heavy Vehicle Diversions
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is currently in talks with the traffic police to divert heavy vehicles through the MIDC area from Uran Phata. This move aims to decongest the Sion-Panvel Highway, one of the main corridors leading to the airport, ensuring smoother traffic flow for commuters.
### Focus on Palm Beach Road
Municipal Commissioner Kailash Shinde highlighted that Palm Beach Road (PBR), the city’s arterial link connecting Thane and Vashi, will carry both airport-bound and local traffic. This mix makes it highly vulnerable to bottlenecks.
“Upgrading and maintaining Palm Beach Road will be our highest priority since there is no scope for expansion,” said Shinde, emphasizing the critical need to manage this vital route effectively.
### Ongoing Infrastructure Projects
Several infrastructure projects are underway to support the increased traffic demands:
– Flyover construction at Turbhe
– Airoli–Katai Naka flyover development
– Phased concreting of the PBR stretch up to NMMC headquarters
Shinde explained, “We are sequencing projects one after another to minimise disruptions, as undertaking them all at once would worsen traffic.”
### Coordination with MSRDC
NMMC is also coordinating with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to strengthen connecting roads leading into Navi Mumbai. With traffic from Mulund expected to funnel through Airoli and Mumbai-bound vehicles from Vashi, officials say careful coordination will be crucial to avoid gridlocks.
### Widening Plans and Traffic Management
DCP Traffic Tirupati Kakade shared that measures to widen Palm Beach Road near Killa Junction are under study. This includes proposals to remove the footpath opposite the Killa structure to increase road capacity.
“Palm Beach Road would get congested, but since there are signals at all important junctions, we assume that traffic jams can be avoided. The National Highways Authority of India is also planning flyovers along Palm Beach Road,” Kakade said.
### Airport Inauguration
The NMIA is slated to be inaugurated on October 8 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recently, Gautam Adani landed at the airport with his private jet to check the readiness of the facility.
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