Mumbai: Parel flyover closed after pipe bursts, causes traffic snarls

Mumbai: The Parel flyover on Babasaheb Ambedkar Road in central Mumbai was closed for all vehicles on Thursday morning, after a water pipe burst near the entrance of the flyover and flooded the stretch. The incident was reported after 6.30 am. “As soon as we received the complaint, we started repair work immediately,” said a senior official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) hydraulic department.

The cause of the burst has not been determined; no construction work was underway at the spot. “Water supply to the area was not affected as the supply timing was in the morning (from 4am to 7am). Cannot comment on Friday’s water supply until it is fixed,” the official added.

Vehicles were forced to use the busy road below the flyover, which led to traffic snarls in and around Parel. There is a backlog now on both ends of the flyover, with a traffic jam extending several kilometres long, all the way to Dadar. From Arora junction in Matunga, motorists are being asked to turn left turn Wadala Cross Road. There are also diversions at Naigaon Cross Road, traffic police said.

Neither civic nor traffic officials could commit on when the flyover would reopen. “We have shut the Parel flyover to traffic as of now, until the work is complete. The BMC has not given us an estimate on when work will be completed,” said a traffic police officer, who did not wish to be named.