Authorities plan traffic easing measures ahead of airport ops

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.

- Raina Assainar

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is in talks with the traffic police to divert heavy vehicles through the MIDC area from Uran Phata to decongest the Sion-Panvel Highway, which will be one of the main corridors leading to the airport. Municipal Commissioner Kailash Shinde said Palm Beach Road (PBR), the city’s arterial link from Thane and Vashi, will carry both airport-bound and local traffic, making it highly vulnerable to bottlenecks. “Upgrading and maintaining Palm Beach Road will be our highest priori