September 11, 2025

Mumbai’s busy NH48 is causing heartaches and fears. The Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP), usually quiet, has raised a loud alarm to Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways. Their complaint? The national highway between Dahisar and Talasari is in a terrible state. Why does it matter? This road is the only way to reach Udvada in south Gujarat, home to the community’s holiest fire temple, Iranshah. BPP says, "NH-48 Dahisar to Talasari has become a death trap and our community members and senior citizens suffer untold hardship due to poor construction done by NHAI-appointed contractors… All we ask are for our fundamental rights to good roads so that precious lives are not lost." Adil Malia, a BPP trustee, sadly remembers, "The community lost one of its illustrious members, industrialist Cyrus Mistry, on that road due to poor road conditions and unregulated traffic." He calls the route "literally a 'death trap'" with many horrific accidents reported here. The story gets hair-raising when Filly Bapuna shares her experiences: "Driving on NH48 is a harrowing experience. It was cement concrete a few months ago, but there are already potholes everywhere. A new Range Rover had a tyre burst twice on this stretch." Dr Boorjis H Doctor, leading a campaign for a safer NH48, faced danger himself. "I had a near-death experience this year due to the negligence of the road contractor. When I complained against the contractor at the Panvel police station, I was astonished to find that the senior inspector was unaware of Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms, leave aside enforcing them," he revealed. Advocate Sujay Kantawala paints a grim picture. "A journey from Boisar to Mumbai on NH48 took six hours. My sister has sworn to travel by train only and described this highway as ‘hell on earth'." Highway activist Harbans Singh Nanade points fingers at poor management. Despite Rs 600 crore spent on repairs, traffic jams and accidents still haunt NH48. He urges, "This has raised questions about the functioning of NHAI and the contractor. The BRO (Border Roads Organization) is also primarily responsible for constructing and maintaining roads in border areas and difficult mountainous regions. Without wasting time, the services of BRO should be used for NH48 and Thane-Ghodbunder road for safe travel." A senior NHAI official tries to explain, saying more traffic is due to the busy Thane-Ghodbunder road feeding into NH48. "Though potholes are there, the main reason was the traffic on the Thane-bound lane. We are laying mastic on old bridges," the official said. The bottom line? This highway, a lifeline to a sacred place, needs urgent rescue before more lives are lost. The community waits, hoping their urgent cries reach ears that can bring swift action.

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Tags: Nh48, Road safety, Bombay parsi punchayat, Nitin gadkari, Udvada temple, Nhai,