The Mumbai Traffic Police on Wednesday morning temporarily stopped the vehicular traffic on the northbound stretch of the newly constructed flyover at Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road (GMLR) for carrying out repair work. The repairs were undertaken after multiple complaints were received about incidents of motorbikes skidding on the bridge during the rain, raising questions about the quality of construction. Kishore Shinde, senior inspector of the Mankhurd traffic police division confirmed that the repair work will be underway for a few hours. The traffic coming from south Mumbai and moving towards north Mumbai or Vashi is being diverted from below the bridge. The repairs were also undertaken on Tuesday. Several bike-skidding accidents have taken place on the northbound (towards Mankhurd Mandala) side since the flyover was opened and on Monday, one person died after his bike skidded on it. The incident took place at 2.15 pm above Bainganwadi signal. The deceased, Yusuf Khan, a businessman from Shivajinagar, was riding pillion and his friend, Akhtar Khan, 28, was riding the bike. They were going to Mankhurd. “The bike skid while it was raining and fell. Yusuf sustained head injuries and died before being admitted to a hospital,” said Prashant Tayade, Sub-inspector from Deonar police station. This is the second fatal accident since the bridge was inaugurated this month. The first one occurred after one vehicle rammed into a two-wheeler two weeks ago, said Prakash Choughule, Senior Inspector of Mankhurd police station. Traffic police officials said they have written multiple letters to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), uring them to take precautionary measures like putting up traffic signboards, CCTV cameras, speedometer and rumbler. The 2.9-km flyover, constructed for Rs 713 crore by the BMC, was opened on August 1, three years after its deadline. The flyover has helped cut travel time for motorists heading towards Navi Mumbai from Ghatkopar as the link road has heavy traffic on the entire stretch, especially at Baiganwadi Junction in Shivaji Nagar.
