Stretch below Metro Line 2A - the ultimate obstacle course

Potholes at Valnai-Meeth Chowkie Metro station on New Link Road on July 26. Pics/Anurag Ahire

Potholes are the least of motorists' concerns while commuting on the 17-km New Link Road stretch below Metro Line 2A from DN Nagar to Dahisar. When mid-day travelled visited this spot recently, deep cracks, tiles poking out of paver blocks, scattered gravel from worn-out speed breakers and caved-in manhole covers were seen. There were also sewer lids with sharp metal corners that could puncture tyres.

Lalji Pada

The 3.4-km stretch between Inorbit Mall in Malad West and Lalji Pada in Kandivli tends to witness traffic congestion. Locals claim takes an hour and a half at times to traverse this section and loose tiles in front of an authorised autorickshaw stand at Lalji Pada Chowk compels them to park on the road. "We spend out of our own pocket to hire workers to clean the road in front of our auto stand but because of the rain, this construction material keeps coming back. Sometimes we lose out on passengers because of this," said Ramesh Jaiswal, a rickshaw driver Ramseth Tiwari, a fruit seller, sometimes has to lift his cart one foot to avoid potholes. To avoid hawking on the footpath, he travels 4-5 km to a designated spot for vendors. "I have excruciating pain in my arms as I have to pick my cart up to avoid potholes, but who will listen to a poor man? I have slipped on loose tiles on the road and fallen many times. Just two days ago, fruits worth R2,500 got ruined as my cart tipped over on the road." he said.

Auto driver Ramesh Jaiswal and Ramseth Tiwari, fruit seller

Near the RTO office signal, commuters are greeted by a dangerous three-metre-long depression whose depth can be easily underestimated from a distance.
mid-day traversed the area below Goregaon Metro station, Bangur Nagar, Jai Chand Lal Karwa Marg, Malad West, Valnai-Meeth Chowkie Metro station, Lalji Pada, Dahanukar Wadi in Kandivli West, Kandivli Metro station, Chikku Wadi in Borivli West and Eksar towards Dahisar. The road from Dahisar to DN Nagar Metro station was relatively smoother.

Chikku Wadi

Chikku Wadi in Borivli West was one of many places on the stretch below Metro Line 2A from DN Nagar to Dahisar where sharp metal corners of sewer lids protrude onto the road.

A sharp manhole cover, which could lead to tyre punctures, in Borivli

Commuter Aryan Doshi told mid-day that while avoiding a pothole on the stretch, his tyre skidded on the uneven surface that was formed because the long metal lid of a manhole was laid there. "Does anyone care about loss of life? Taxpayers pay money to improve their quality of life, not to lose it." he said.
Speaking about the paver block menace, he said, "The rain loosens piles of tiles and causes them to spread across the road, sometimes they create a shape that appears like a spike."

17km
Length of the stretch