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By:

Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

Lost in Transport

Mumbai’s grand transport infrastructure is undermined by potholes, Poor discipline and a last-mile gaps that keeps it crawling Mumbai: It is morning time, and Pawan Khandelwal is all set to leave for work. A creative lead at an ad agency in Malad, Mumbai, Khandelwal should take 12 to 15 minutes to reach the office, but that rarely happens because of the traffic, poor road quality and lack of civic sense among co-drivers on the road. He mostly ends up reaching the office in 30 to 40 minutes....

Lost in Transport

Mumbai’s grand transport infrastructure is undermined by potholes, Poor discipline and a last-mile gaps that keeps it crawling Mumbai: It is morning time, and Pawan Khandelwal is all set to leave for work. A creative lead at an ad agency in Malad, Mumbai, Khandelwal should take 12 to 15 minutes to reach the office, but that rarely happens because of the traffic, poor road quality and lack of civic sense among co-drivers on the road. He mostly ends up reaching the office in 30 to 40 minutes. Khandelwal firmly believes that road construction is not a major issue for traffic. “The road under construction is not a big issue because they usually don’t take very long to repair the roads. But even after their work is done, it is not done perfectly. At times when they are digging up the road for other purposes, they often leave a bump or a pothole,” he said. He gives an example, “One can see it on the western express highway. There are so many bumps. We call it a highway, but we can’t even drive at 15 km/h because it is not fixed properly.” He also blames people for not following traffic rules, which adds to the problem. Traffic Woes Although there are coastal roads and metros available, the traffic still seems to be a problem for many residents. A media professional and a daily commuter, Charlene Flanagan has been travelling in Mumbai for many years now. There is not much difference in her experience of the traffic congestion. From her experience, she believes the coastal roads and metros have not completely accomplished the mission of curbing traffic congestion. She says, “As a resident of Mumbai and as a person with a valid driver’s licence, I would say the traf f ic hasn’t really changed. It is still as congested, and whether the coastal roads have helped depends on the time of the day you leave and whether you are going against the traffic or along with the traffic.” The pedestrians also face problems. Saloni Mehta, a theatre artiste, says, “I prefer walking to my destinations. For example, I live in Versova, and if I want to see a play in the Prithvi Theatre, I will take a half-hour walk. However, this one time, I could not reach the venue, not just because of the traffic but also because there were no pavements left to walk on. The roads are dug up, and every road is just half a road.” Mumbai’s average speed covered is 5.2 km per 15 minutes. During the peak traffic hours in the morning, when most people travel to their workplace, the average speed is 18.5 km/h. It is important to understand the issue and address it with a solution. Sudhir Badami, an author of the book ‘Matter of Equitability - Making Commuting in Mumbai Enviable’, explains why people still prefer to use cars over metros, “The metro line 3 has definitely taken away some car users. But it has not taken away sufficient numbers of car users to make a difference in the state of road congestion. The reason behind this is essentially the last-mile connectivity in areas where the Aqua Line or Line 7 operates, especially in suburban areas. In the city area, it is supported by good BEST services on the one hand, and taxis being available near the metro stations on the other hand. But most car users still opt for using their cars, as public transport currently does provide assured exclusivity, comfort and good frequency, not forgetting last mile connectivity. The Coastal Road sees very few cars compared to the number of cars on Mumbai’s Roads. Badami, as a transportation analyst, says, “Mumbai has approximately 16 Lakhs motor cars, out of which only about 55,000 seem to be using coastal roads. It is such a minuscule proportion for whom so much has been spent. This is largely because in the city, people don’t go from one end of the city to the other end. They normally start from in between and go somewhere in between. If there is not much time saving for the shorter stretches, then people are not likely to take it, and there will be continued congestion on city roads.” “In general, the necessity of the last-mile connectivity is an important part, but the greater part will be how to get car users onto the public transport,” says Badami. Public transport must provide near exclusivity, comfort and safety to a car-using commuter for migration to take place. This is where the importance of last-mile connectivity is felt. Air Pollution The slow-moving traffic also adds to the air pollution in the city several times more than when they are moving at optimum speeds, he says. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mumbai, Anil Kumbhare, denies that there is much traffic congestion in Mumbai as compared to five years back. He credits the coastal roads for curbing the traffic. He says, “Earlier, there used to be bumper-to bumper traffic near Haji Ali. That has come down drastically. As coastal roads shape, the traffic will go down.” He also adds that there is traffic congestion in the morning hours as people are travelling for work. But there is no traffic jam. Although coastal roads have helped, there are still pockets of the city that face traffic congestion every day. This can be solved with careful planning and execution.

Legacy vs Incumbency

As the Maharashtra elections draw ever closer, the clash between political legacy and incumbency will redefine the political landscape in Nashik district’s Malegaon Outer Assembly segment.


The political arena in Malegaon Outer pits the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)’s (oppsoiton MVA’s) candidate Advay Hiray against veteran cabinet minister Dada Bhuse from the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, seeking re-election for a fifth straight term.


The stakes are high as both candidates carry the weight of their respective legacies into a constituency that has witnessed significant political shifts over the years.


Dada Bhuse, a stalwart of the Shiv Sena and a fixture in Maharashtra politics since 2004, has navigated his share of controversies, including serious allegations stemming from the 2001 Malegaon riots. Despite a chequered past, Bhuse has maintained a stronghold over the Malegaon Outer Assembly seat, touting his record of development projects that have transformed the constituency. His tenure has seen the completion of key infrastructure projects. That said, he will be fighting against the headwinds of anti-incumbency sentiments.


Enter Advay Hiray, scion of a prominent political family with deep roots in Maharashtra. The Hiray clan, once synonymous with grassroots politics in the region, has struggled to maintain its relevance over the past few decades.


Advay is the great-grandson of the late Bhausaheb Hiray, a distinguished Congress leader from North Maharashtra who served as a minister in successive cabinets. The Hiray family has a storied political legacy, with other notable members, such as Pushpatai Hiray and Adya’s father - Prashant Hiray, also having held elected office and ministerial roles across various administrations.

Once, Malegaon stood as a bastion of Hiray influence; however, this stronghold was gradually usurped by Bhuse, who supplanted the Hiray clan, who, by this time had fragmented owing to internecine political rivalries.


Advay’s switch to Shiv Sena (UBT) from the BJP in January 2023 was strategic and came at a time when Uddhav Thackeray was trying to rebuild his splintered party in north Maharashtra. Advay himself has faced serious legal troubles, including an arrest related to a cooperative bank fraud.

And yet, he is now positioning himself as the candidate of change against Bhuse’s established regime.

Malegaon Outer, a mix of urban and rural demographics, faces pressing challenges that extend beyond individual candidates. The area is grappling with economic struggles, particularly among onion farmers who have been hit hard by recent export bans, and ongoing demands for improved infrastructure and local governance.


Complicating the contest in Malegaon Outer is the emergence of Bandu Bachhav, a young leader who, after being passed over for a Sena (UBT) ticket, is running as an independent. With a robust local network, Bachhav is poised to siphon votes from both Bhuse and Hiray, potentially tipping the scales in this tightly contested seat.


As the election date draws near, the race in Malegaon Outer is not just about two candidates but a reflection of broader political currents in Maharashtra. Will Advay Hiray’s legacy help reclaim the Hiray family’s lost prominence, or will Bhuse’s experience and established network hold strong against the winds of change?

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