A crane deployed for the construction of Metro Line 2B, the DN Nagar to Mandale corridor, broke down at Juhu Circle on Thursday morning, triggering a massive traffic jam across Andheri West and leaving commuters stuck for hours. Commuters who normally take 20 to 30 minutes to complete their journeys reported spending nearly two hours on the road.
The breakdown came after a night of installing girders for the Metro 2B project. With the crane blocking part of the road, the northbound carriageway had been converted into a two-way road, sharply reducing the available road space. Traffic queues stretched for nearly 2 km on either side, with congestion spilling over into surrounding areas.
Officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) did not provide details of the breakdown. Sources said the crane had malfunctioned and a spare part had been called for to restore it and move the equipment. Officials were hoping to clear the crane by the end of the day, though they could not give a firm assurance.
By 1.30 pm, part of the crane had been removed, allowing one lane of the southbound carriageway on Cosmopolitan Education Society Road to reopen.
Dhaval Shah, co-founder of the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA), said the congestion had begun around 6 am.
“The jam has been there since 6 am. Traffic is still logged up on both sides, although the opening of one lane may ease things a bit. My daughter left for school at 8 am and reached at 9:30 am in an auto, when it usually takes her 20 minutes.”
“The backlog of traffic is there from Juhu Circle up to the Four Bungalows signal and the DN Nagar Signal. People are taking the SV Road as an alternative, but that’s not equipped to handle so much traffic, so it is also jammed,” said Karan Jotwani, co-founder of LOCA.
Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city. Expertise Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information. Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department. Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others. Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture. Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in. ... Read More
