Mumbaikars travelling back from their south Mumbai offices to homes in western suburbs like Santacruz, Andheri, Powai and beyond can take the Coastal Road, Bandra-Worli Sea Link and then reach their destinations
via the Western Express Highway on Friday.
While the journey is longer than usual and is likely to be through traffic jams, this would be the best route for motorists, given the closure of the Eastern Freeway and VN Purao Road, among others.
Several arterial roads in the metropolis were closed on Friday for the Maratha reservation march led by Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
Motorists faced massive traffic snarls and were inconvenienced during morning hours on their way to work, with some reporting being stuck for three to four hours to cover distances that would usually be covered in around an hour.
Best Routes from South Mumbai to Western Suburbs
Since the Eastern Freeway is closed to all vehicular traffic (except emergency services) today because of the Maratha quota protest, motorists can follow the below mentioned routes to reach their destinations.
1. Coastal Road → Bandra–Worli Sea Link → Western Express Highway
Motorists heading towards the western suburbs from South Mumbai can take the Coastal Road, starting from Marine Lines (Phase 1 is open from Marine Lines to Worli). It offers a direct, traffic-light-free route along the western coast.
Motorists can then connect to the Bandra–Worli Sea Link and join the Western Express Highway northwards.
2. Western Express Highway (WEH) via Local Access
If Coastal Road access is not feasible, motorists can head north by reaching the WEH through local roads (e.g., via Worli or Bandra). The WEH remains a reliable arterial route to Andheri, Santacruz, Juhu, and beyond. However, the traffic could be elevated near protest zones, but far less than inner-city routes.
Traffic Snarls In Mumbai
Mumbai came to a near standstill on Friday as thousands of Manoj Jarange Patil-led Maratha Kranti Morcha supporters marched towards Azad Maidan, choking key roads in South Mumbai. Traffic bottlenecks were reported from almost every entry point into the city’s southern precincts, with CSMT, Fort and Nariman Point witnessing heavy jams.
The Eastern Freeway was completely blocked by protesters, while the Coastal Road saw a traffic snarl stretching from Priyadarshini Park (PDP) to Nariman Point, leaving motorists stranded for hours.
Panvel-Sion Road, V N Purav Road, Eastern Freeway, P D’Mello Road, Wallchand Hirachand Marg, Dr Dadabhai Nauroji Road and Hajarimal Somani Road have been closed for all types of vehicular traffic except emergency service vehicles.
The traffic arrangements in parts of the city impacted over 60 BEST bus routes in parts of Mumbai. Multiple depots, including those in Wadala, Dadar, Kurla, and Marol, reported altered operations, said the officials.
