MMRDA to develop roundabouts on Airoli-Katai Naka freeway in Navi Mumbai to ease traffic congestion

For the convenience of the residents of Airoli, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is developing two roundabouts on the Airoli-Katai Naka freeway near the residential areas of the node.

Through these roundabouts, the residents will be able to board the freeway and alight from it easily.

According to the MMRDA officials, the freeway will have two arms (or elevated roads) in Navi Mumbai. While the first arm will start near the Mulund-Airoli creek bridge (Airoli end), the other will start from Thane-Belapur Road.

“We have observed that the Airoli node and its peripheries have a population of more than one lakh. To board the freeway for their routine commuting, people will have to travel either to the creek bridge or to Thane-Belapur Road on a daily basis and that will create traffic congestion in the entire area. To avoid that, we are developing two roundabouts at Airoli and residents will be able to board the freeway without travelling much,” a senior officer from MMRDA said.

“Presently, it takes around 40 minutes to travel from Airoli to Katai Naka. With the completion of the freeway and by using the roundabouts, the Airoli residents will reach NH-4 in 12 minutes. Around 50% work of the roundabouts has been completed so far,” he further said.

MMRDA has undertaken a 12.30km elevated road project, and it is expected to cut down the travelling distance between Airoli and Kalyan-Dombivli by 10km.

“The phase 1 which includes developing an elevated road connecting Thane-Belapur Road with NH-4 will be completed by March 2022 while the tunnel road from Central MIDC to NH-4 near Mumbra will be completed by March 2023. The second phase, an elevated road between Mulund-Airoli creek bridge (Airoli end) and Thane-Belapur Road, is likely to be completed by December 2022. The third phase of elevated road between NH-4 and Katai Naka is still in the tendering stage. The estimated cost for the first phase is ₹382.02Cr and the second phase is ₹275.90Cr,” the officer further said.