After years of heavy traffic jams and failed solutions, the traffic island at Dwarka Chowk — one of the city’s busiest and most congested intersections — was finally removed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Sunday, June 1. This is seen as a major step towards improving traffic flow at this crucial junction.
Dwarka Chowk connects the Mumbai-Agra and Nashik-Pune highways, and has long been a traffic nightmare for drivers. From encroachments and illegal parking to rickshaw and taxi stands, blocked subways, and heavy pedestrian movement — many issues have contributed to daily congestion. So far, the municipal administration had failed to provide a lasting solution.
The move to remove the traffic island follows a discussion between State Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and NHAI officials held a few months ago. During the meeting, Bhujbal suggested taking inspiration from Mumbai’s Haji Ali Chowk, where removing the traffic island and strengthening the signal system significantly improved traffic flow.
In line with this idea, Dwarka Chowk's traffic island has been removed in the first phase. Officials have stated that the signal system will now be studied and improved to ensure better traffic control. If any technical flaws are found, corrective action will be taken to make the system more efficient.
The area where the island was removed will first be asphalted and then concreted for durability. Additionally, safety measures will be implemented near both flyover pillars passing through the junction to help prevent accidents, NHAI informed.
This move marks a fresh attempt to finally tackle Nashik’s long-standing problem of congestion at Dwarka Chowk and provide smoother travel for thousands of commuters.