Heavy vehicles ignore ban, jam Ghodbunder highway
Thane: Motorists faced major inconvenience as hundreds of heavy freight vehicles clogged the Ghodbunder Highway, defying restrictions imposed on their movement for four days to facilitate prompt repair work of the highway stretch at Gaimukh Ghat.
The Thane traffic police banned all heavy and multi-axle freight vehicles from using the highway in both directions from Saturday to Monday midnight, as two lanes at the ghat were shut for repairs. However, many transporters — particularly from JNPT, Nashik, and Mumbai — apparently ignored the advisory, causing a massive pile-up at the mouth of the highway at Majiwada starting Friday night. This compelled the authorities to allow the trucks to ply toward Borivli, a move that backfired when these vehicles got stuck in the ghat section, leading to an 8-km tailback stretching to Kapurbawdi by morning.
You Can Also Check:
Mumbai AQI
|
Weather in Mumbai
|
Bank Holidays in Mumbai
|
Public Holidays in Mumbai
The situation worsened when several truck drivers abandoned their vehicles on the highway, further reducing lane availability and disrupting traffic. "The restriction for trucks was meant to prevent congestion at the repair site, as multi-axle trucks would struggle with frequent lane switching. But our plan failed," a senior traffic official admitted. "We deployed extra personnel and diverted stranded trucks from the Borivali-bound lanes to take U-turns at Manpada, Anand Nagar, and Waghbil junctions. We also tracked down truck owners and warned of legal action if vehicles weren't cleared."
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
Despite fewer vehicles on Saturday morning, office-goers still faced delays. Hemant Gupta reported being stuck for hours, stating, "Heavy vehicles were supposed to be banned, but they were everywhere. No updates, no traffic cops advising commuters." Neha Thakker was stranded at Owala for 45 minutes and had to cancel a meeting in Borivali. While the city limits remained clear by evening, motorists Jayant Bhat and Keyur Gondalia complained of congestion at the repair site even by evening.
Transporters, already frustrated by frequent delays, claimed they were given too little time to plan alternate routes.
The Ghodbunder Highway is a crucial connector for traffic between Gujarat, Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, the Konkan region, and Nashik, with over one lakh vehicles using it daily.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
Maruti's Grand Vitara clocks 3 lakh sales in a record 32 months
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Friday announced that its flagship mid-size SUV, the Grand Vitara , has crossed the 3 lakh unit sales mark, setting a new benchmark in its segment by achieving the milestone in just 32 months. According to the company, this makes it the fastest-selling SUV in its category. Maruti Suzuki India closed at ₹12,463.00 on Friday, up ₹337.00 or 2.78% for the day. The growth has been fuelled primarily by the Strong Hybrid variants, which recorded a 43% year-on-year increase in sales in FY24-25, reflecting rising demand for sustainable and fuel-efficient options. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AirSense 11 – Smart tech for deep sleep ResMed Buy Now Undo To commemorate the milestone, Maruti Suzuki unveiled a new television campaign titled 'Driven by Tech', positioning the Grand Vitara as a versatile and cutting-edge SUV for the modern, tech-savvy Indian consumer. The campaign follows two characters, a tech entrepreneur and a businesswoman, who navigate contrasting terrains using the SUV's Strong Hybrid and ALLGRIP SELECT 4x4 variants, respectively. 'We thank our 3 lakh strong Grand Vitara family for their trust in Maruti Suzuki,' said Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. 'The Grand Vitara has been a catalyst in strengthening Maruti Suzuki's position in the mid-SUV market. Designed for today's urban, tech-savvy, and progressive individuals, it masterfully combines bold aesthetics, advanced technology, and a comprehensive suite of safety features.' Live Events Banerjee added that the new campaign highlights the SUV's wide-ranging appeal. 'The campaign vividly communicates our flagship SUV's versatility, and its myriad capabilities which allow it to appeal to diverse personalities, while seamlessly complementing the evolving aspirations of customers.' The 2025 Grand Vitara, recently updated with more variant options, now offers a panoramic sunroof on the Zeta (O), Alpha (O), Zeta+ (O), and Alpha+ (O) trims. It also comes loaded with premium features such as R17 precision cut alloy wheels, a 6-speed automatic transmission with electronic parking brake, ventilated seats, an 8-way powered driver seat, a 9-inch Smart Play Pro+ infotainment system with wireless connectivity, a 360-degree camera, head-up display, wireless charging, and an Auto Purify function with PM 2.5 display. The company highlighted that safety remains a priority, with 6 airbags, 3-point ELR seat belts for all passengers, ISOFIX child seat mounts, ESP® with Hill Hold Assist, and ABS with EBD offered as standard across all variants.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Indian EV Industry being hurt by additional restrictions on rare earth minerals by China: Jefferies
The EV companies in the country is already facing heat with China's supply restrictions on the rare earth metals, according to a report by Jefferies. The Jefferies report highlighted that several Indian companies are struggling to import magnets from China, which are crucial components in the production of EV motors. The report warned that once the current stock of these magnets runs out, motor production could be severely affected, putting the entire supply chain at risk . Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dukung Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma: Mulai Di Sini Limfoma Baca Undo It said "Based on our conversations with Indian companies, industry is facing a challenge in importing magnets from China and EV motor production could be at risk once the existing magnet inventories get exhausted". Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) too have echoed the sentiment and in its monthly vehicle data release on Friday said "Global supply-chain headwinds (rare-earth constraints in EV components, geopolitical tensions) may limit urban consumer sentiment and exert cost pressure." Live Events To deal with the situation, companies are considering importing fully assembled motors from China. However, this option comes with challenges. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) would have to make major changes in their supply chains. Additionally, vehicles might require fresh homologation approvals to meet Indian standards. This shift could also lead to a drop in domestic value addition, which is essential to qualify for the government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. China had earlier, on April 4, imposed export controls on six heavy rare earth elements (REEs) and rare earth magnets. The country cited reasons like national security and international obligations such as non-proliferation. Although these curbs are not a complete ban on exports for the auto sector, companies must now seek prior government approval before shipping these materials out of China. This adds uncertainty and delay in the supply process. The report also mentioned that the Indian government is aware of the growing risks. According to a Reuters report on Friday, India is in discussions with various companies to build long-term stockpiles of rare earth magnets. As part of this plan, Indian government is likely to offer fiscal incentives to promote domestic production of these crucial components. Contrary to their name, rare earth elements, especially the lighter ones, are not actually rare in the Earth's crust. But they are spread out in low concentrations, which makes extraction and processing difficult. The global supply chain for these elements is heavily dependent on China, which currently accounts for about 70 per cent of the world's mined REEs and roughly 90 per cent of refined production. China also produces nearly 90 per cent of the world's rare earth magnets, especially the heavy rare earths. With China now increasing its restrictions even further, the supply chain could face more disruptions in the coming months, posing a serious threat to India's EV sector.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk's feud with Trump puts $22B SpaceX contracts at risk; what it means for US space future
Elon Musk's escalating feud with President Donald Trump has put SpaceX's massive $22 billion in government contracts on the line, raising concerns about the future of America's space program. SpaceX, a key player in NASA and Pentagon missions, faces potential funding cuts amid political tensions, threatening crucial projects like lunar exploration and national security launches. This conflict highlights the risks of heavy reliance on a single private company for space access. After Elon Musk tweeted regarding the decommissioning of SpaceX within a few hours, Musk re-tweeted by saying "Ok. Good Advice...". However, according to Bloomberg, it remains unclear. But if the dispute unfolds, the US space industry may face delays, higher costs, and increased geopolitical vulnerability, putting America's leadership in space at stake. Elon Musk's Crew Dragon retirement talk highlights US dependence on SpaceX Elon Musk alluded on X (formerly Twitter) to the possibility that SpaceX would retire its Crew Dragon fleet. Although he subsequently appeared to walk back the announcement, the fact that the idea had been suggested at all highlighted the degree to which the US depends on a single private firm. If SpaceX discontinue its astronaut launches: by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트 최대 할인 지원해드려요 임플란터 더 알아보기 Undo Existing ISS crew might be stuck, although SpaceX will probably bring the Crew Dragon capsule back to the ISS already docked. No near-term replacement is on the horizon. Boeing's Starliner won't be ready until at least 2026. Russian Soyuz might be an option once more but buying seats from Russia is costly and politically charged. The ISS would lose its operational rhythm, potentially dwindling to a ghost crew of three astronauts riding on one Soyuz. Essentially, America would be in the same position it was in 2011 relying on another country for access to space. Source: X Source: X How Elon Musk's SpaceX disrupted Space launch with Falcon 9 SpaceX finally sent up its first successful rocket, Falcon 1, in 2008, after three failures. The breakthrough came in 2010 with the introduction of the Falcon 9, a two-stage, partially reusable rocket that could transport heavy payloads to orbit. The vehicle would come to serve as the workhorse of the international launch industry. NASA invested heavily in Falcon 9's development, both financially and symbolically. With NASA money and cooperation, SpaceX demonstrated that it could safely transport cargo to the ISS. This stamp of approval drew private satellite users, foreign nations, and eventually even the US military. The conjunction of: Low cost per launch, Rapid reusability, and A demonstrated history of mission success transformed SpaceX into a disruptor, transforming the economics of spaceflight. SpaceX restores American Human Spaceflight after Shuttle retirement After the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2011, NASA was forced to use Russian Soyuz vehicles to transport astronauts to the ISS; a reliance that had geopolitical and budgetary risks. NASA contracted with both Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to create crewed vehicles under the Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX came first. In May 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission carried NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the ISS, marking the first human launch from US soil in nearly a decade. President Donald Trump called the mission 'a gift' to the nation and praised the cost-efficiency and innovation of the public-private partnership. Crew Dragon's achievement was not only a national record, but it was also an international show of SpaceX's ability to send humans to space safely, something only three countries had been able to do before. SpaceX's historic 2020 launch: A new era in US human spaceflight Since the Crew Dragon achievement, SpaceX has increased its activities at a blistering pace: Lunar missions: SpaceX received a $2.9 billion contract to create the Human Landing System (HLS)—a version of Starship to carry astronauts to the Moon—under the Artemis program. National security: SpaceX puts spy satellites, missile warning satellites, and classified Department of Defense payloads into orbit. Commercial leadership: It puts most of the world's private satellites, such as megaconstellations like Starlink, into orbit. In practice, SpaceX is not merely a contractor but the linchpin of America's space architecture. Why NASA's backup launch options still lag behind SpaceX's reliability The US government and NASA have attempted to diversify their launch suppliers, but substitutes fall far behind: Boeing Starliner: Plagued by software issues and hardware flaws. Following a nine-month hiatus in bringing back astronauts, public trust has diminished. Northrop Grumman Cygnus: Offers only cargo, and its most recent spacecraft was compromised in transit. Sierra Space Dream Chaser: Still has yet to fly; its first flight is scheduled for late 2025 on a tentative basis. Blue Origin New Glenn: Just completed its first test flight. Full certification and routine launches are years off. Although some of these vehicles will develop into capable platforms, none yet equals SpaceX's launch pace, reliability, or human-rated certification. SpaceX's growing role in government space missions According to the reports, beyond just transporting astronauts, SpaceX has taken on numerous science missions for NASA and deployed military equipment for the Pentagon. Last year, it secured a NASA contract to safely deorbit the International Space Station once its mission concludes. SpaceX's Starship rocket has been selected by NASA to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface for upcoming Artemis missions. However, its ninth test flight last week ended in failure after the rocket lost control and crashed over Texas. $22 billion government contracts on the line SpaceX currently holds approximately $22 billion in government contracts, covering critical projects for NASA and the Department of Defense according to ET reports. US President Trump claimed that cutting federal support for Elon Musk's ventures could save 'billions and billions of dollars.' The dispute began when Trump criticized Musk's spending priorities and withdrew support for billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, labeling him 'totally Democrat.' Recent reports indicate Trump may nominate retired Air Force Lieutenant General Steven Kwast, a strong advocate for space defense, to head NASA. This move could shift NASA's focus from Musk's innovation-driven approach toward a greater emphasis on national security. Also Read | Every 26 seconds, Earth's 'mysterious heartbeat' repeats; scientists still don't know why
