For drivers in Thane who are regularly caught in traffic close to Katai Naka, there is good news. The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change has received a request from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) asking for forest clearance to build the elevated road that will connect Katai Naka to NH-4. The 6.71-kilometer elevated corridor intends to enhance communication between Badlapur, Ambernath, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Navi Mumbai. It is anticipated that the six-lane (3+3) elevated road will greatly improve regional development and reduce traffic.
The ministry recently received the proposal for forest clearance. In order to build a link road that connects Katai Junction in Thane district to NH-4, over 0.8325 hectares of mangrove area will need to be diverted. The MMRDA, in its proposal to the Ministry of Environment, said, "Over the last few decades, the city's population has increased dramatically. There is a lot of strain on the existing infrastructure. During peak hours, traffic bottlenecks are caused by automobiles clogging roads at important intersections. This has an indirect negative impact on business and trade by affecting how people move throughout the city."
Nowadays, commuters frequently travel to Shilphata via Mahape, a longer route, and then continue on to Kalyan, Dombivli, Badlapur, and other places. In order to shorten travel times and alleviate traffic congestion, MMRDA chose to build a direct elevated route from NH-4 to Katai (close to the toll booth on Kalyan-Shil route) since traffic levels on this stretch increased. The corridor will be built as an elevated road in these sensitive areas to reduce the environmental impact because the proposed route crosses through creeks and mangrove land in the villages of Desai and Katai before entering an urbanised area.
Beginning at NH-4, the elevated road will travel along the Kalyan-Shil Road to Katai via a combination of elevated portions and embankments. In order to enhance regional accessibility, further connections to NH-4 and the neighbouring areas will be created.