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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Palm Beach Road may get flyovers

Navi Mumbai: The arterial Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai could see the construction of flyovers at key junctions to ease persistent traffic congestion, with Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailash Shinde agreeing to explore the proposal for creating signal-free movement for through traffic. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Dr Shinde and representatives of Climate Action Now (CAN) for MMR, a platform of NatConnect Foundation, and Palm Beach Greens on Friday evening....

Palm Beach Road may get flyovers

Navi Mumbai: The arterial Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai could see the construction of flyovers at key junctions to ease persistent traffic congestion, with Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailash Shinde agreeing to explore the proposal for creating signal-free movement for through traffic. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Dr Shinde and representatives of Climate Action Now (CAN) for MMR, a platform of NatConnect Foundation, and Palm Beach Greens on Friday evening. The initiative follows representations made by the BJP legislator Adv Niranjan Davkhare and CAN seeking measures to address growing traffic snarls on the important north-south corridor. NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar and Palm Beach Greens convenor D Shrikant Patki explained that strategically placed flyovers could allow through traffic to bypass several signals, reducing waiting time at intersections and preventing the cascading build-up of vehicles along the corridor. Dr Shinde, while acknowledging the representations from Davkhare and CAN by NatConnect, assured the delegation that he would definitely explore the flyover option. NMMC is already in touch with IIT-Bombay on the Palm Beach Road traffic issue and may also seek its inputs on the proposal. Kumar and Patki had earlier met Davkhare, who represents the Konkan Graduates’ constituency spread across Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane and Palghar districts, to discuss various environmental issues. Davkhare subsequently took up the Palm Beach Road traffic issue with the NMMC Commissioner. The road carries substantial inter-city traffic, with thousands of vehicles heading towards Pune, Alibaug and Goa using Palm Beach Road after diverting from the Sion-Panvel Highway at Vashi. Such traffic adds considerably to the pressure on the corridor, particularly because vehicles have to negotiate multiple signals along the route. The environmental groups proposed a system in which through traffic could move without stopping at major junctions while local traffic continues to use the existing road network. They said such an arrangement could reduce congestion, fuel wastage and vehicular emissions besides improving travel time and road safety. Kumar pointed to worsening congestion on Palm Beach Road and identified Moraj Junction between Vashi and Nerul as a major bottleneck. The representation also highlighted traffic problems at Nerul, T S Chanakya, Akshar and NRI Seawoods junctions. According to the representation, the Moraj Junction bottleneck results in long delays, fuel wastage and inconvenience to thousands of daily commuters. It proposed straight flyovers carrying through traffic in both northbound and southbound directions, enabling vehicles to bypass signals and junction-level congestion.

Knives out in legislature

Updated: Mar 21, 2025

Disha Salian

Mumbai: Death of celebrity manager Disha Salian in 2020 once again rocked the Maharashtra legislature on Thursday. While cabinet ministers Nitesh Rane and Shambhuraj Desai demanded that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray be arrested in the case, BJP MLA Amit Satam in the assembly and another BJP member Chitra Wagh in the council demanded that the report of SIT to probe Salian’s death be made public.


Incidentally, amidst repeated disruptions in both the houses, some members from the treasury benches were seen speaking in favour of Aditya Thackeray, while Shiv Sena (UBT) members like Adv Anil Parab were seen supporting the BJP members’ demand that the report of the SIT probe be made public. In addition, there were allegations and counter allegations and personal accusations among members from the treasury and opposition benches which led to heated debate on occasions.


The opposition termed the attempts from the treasury benches to link Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray’s name in the case, as a ‘conspiracy’.


“I think this matter has gone to the court. We have no idea what he (Disha’s father) has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a mature leader, a young leader. The Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to defame him by putting pressure on him. We don’t need to answer to this conspiracy. The court will answer,” Ambadas Danve said.


Earlier in the day, when the house gathered for the business, Minister of State for Home appraised the assembly of the status in this case. “SIT has been formed to probe in the case. Their report has not been received as yet. However, the government shall act according to directives from the court,” the minister told the house.


Another BJP minister Nitesh Rane, however, said that since Satish Salian has levelled allegations against an MVA minister, that leader be treated like a common person and that everybody should be treated equally before the law. Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai too supported the demand. “Since the allegations are grave, the person in question should be immediately arrested and the case be investigated,” he said.


Later, while speaking to media in the legislature premises, Rane asked Uddhav Thackeray to come clean on the issue. “If they say that we are politicizing the issue, Uddhav Thackeray should also tell the people why he had called, not just once but twice, to the then union minister Narayan Rane urging him to save his son?” Rane said.


He also accused the opposition of shying away from coming clean on the issue. “If they feel that we are not telling the truth, they should say so in the house. But they are shying away from doing so. Bhaskar Jadhav, who is always aggressive, was nowhere to be seen when this issue came up in the house. Sunil Prabhu too escaped the house under the pretext of a phone call. I challenge them to say that whatever I said on the issue is wrong,” Rane said.


He also said that Aditya Thackeray should resign on moral grounds till his name is cleared in the case.


BJP MLA Amit Satam demanded that the details of the SIT probe be made public so that the people would know if the probe is headed in right direction.


Interestingly, while the ruling parties were targeting the opposition in the case, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar surprised all with his unexpected support to Thackerays. “I do not have any evidences in the case. But if her father has made any fresh allegations that needs to be investigated thoroughly. The assembly can discuss the issue at length tomorrow. In the meanwhile, members like Rane, who seem to have some evidences in the case should hand them over to the investigating agencies and help the probe,” he told the house.


Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Gaikwad and Sheetal Mhatre too toed the line and demanded that more and more evidences should come forth.


Similarly, when members of treasury benches were pushing for revealing the details of the probe till date to the public, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab supported the demand. “Doing that shall conclusively prove the innocence of Aditya Thackeray,” he said.

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