Hours after mid-day published a cover page story on what led to the flooding on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway last week, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the local civic body swung into immediate action to initiate an anti-encroachment drive against illegal dhabas and other establishments.

Sources closely associated with the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) told mid-day, “We never saw these thick-skinned babus of the civic body act so swiftly. But your (mid-day`s) article shook the department, and they deployed several machines to conduct the anti-encroachment drive. The credit for this drive must go to mid-day.”

“The crackdown began on the day you published the cover-page article, yet we are not sure to what extent this anti-encroachment drive will be effective. Let`s see,” a source added.

A large number of police personnel from the Mira-Bhayandar Vasai Virar police, NHAI, and civic officials are actively working to make the six-lane NH-48 free from encroachments.

There are over 300 encroachments, including dhabas, resorts, car wash centers, salons, spas, etc., along both sides of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, which connects the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The NHAI had issued notices to these illegal establishments that had blocked the natural drainage system and culverts, thereby causing the road to flood. Copies of these notices were also sent to VVCMC commissioner Anil Pawar, Palghar district Collector Govind Bodke, and MBVV Police commissioner Madhukar Pandey, but none of them took it seriously… Now, they are working together because they have to answer queries from Mantralaya, said the source.

Due to the flooding, road users had to cautiously drive their vehicles at a slow speed, causing heavy traffic congestion of up to 12 kilometers. Traffic police officials had to stand in waist-high waterlogged roads to regulate the traffic.

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