Expressing severe concerns over mounting gridlock and grid-level strain on civic infrastructure, residents of Powai and Chandivali have written to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Eastern Suburbs, requesting an immediate, comprehensive traffic assessment before any further large-scale urban development proceeds along the corridor.
In a letter dated August 27, 2026, issued by the Powai Advanced Locality Management (ALM), citizen representatives highlighted plans for two massive commercial and residential developments slated for the area. The letter underscores that no prior public consultation was conducted to inform local residents about these projects.
Key Projects Highlighted in the Letter
- Project 1: A major rehabilitation scheme comprising 11 buildings for Project Affected People (PAPs) with 3,986 flats. This site also includes a commercial sale component-the Global Capability Centre (GCC)-featuring three wings, retail outlets, corporate offices, and a 13-screen multiplex. The GCC alone is projected to host around 20,065 occupants.
- Project 2: The expansion of a proposed IT Park and Data Centre, supplemented by service apartments, luxury villas, residential bungalows, and a star hotel.
The ALM estimates that these two projects will introduce a floating population of over 1,00,000 people into an already dense vehicular corridor.
Flawed Traffic Data and Safety Risks
According to the citizen group, previous traffic assessments were conducted in March 2020 and January 2021-periods marked by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and restricted movement-rendering the baseline data inaccurate for present-day urban planning.
The letter points out that Powai and Chandivali already suffer from narrow arterial roadways, bottlenecked entry/exit routes, and heavy congestion during peak hours, creating severe delays even for essential services like emergency ambulances and fire tenders.
The Powai-Chandivali suburbs are saturated with development and can no longer absorb any further so-called growth or progress. No public consultation has been held to apprise citizens of these developments. Given that existing road networks already struggle to accommodate emergency services and school transit, a fresh, realistic traffic study is critical before any further infrastructure work continues.” – Pamela Cheema, Chairperson, Powai ALM
Local commuters and families living along the corridor have voiced similar anxieties about the looming strain on daily transit.
Peak-hour traffic in Powai and Chandivali is already a nightmare where a 2-kilometer stretch can take upwards of 40 minutes. Adding tens of thousands of extra vehicles without expanding our narrow feeder roads will completely paralyze emergency access to hospitals and endanger thousands of school children who travel through here every morning.” — Anoop Sharma, Local Resident & Daily Commuter
The representation, signed by Powai ALM Chairperson Pamela Cheema, Secretary Milan Bhat, and key executive committee members, urges traffic police and civic authorities to suspend high-impact construction clearances until a fresh, post-lockdown traffic study is officially conducted.
No comments yet.