If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in traffic on Ambadi Road in Vasai West, you are certainly not alone. For a while now, the stretch of road from Gurudwara-Panchavati Naka to St. Francis School has been infamous for its severe traffic congestion. Locals, shopkeepers, and commuters alike are all feeling the strain, and the source of this never-ending mess has been identified: illegal garages and unauthorized vehicle showrooms encroaching on both sides of the road.
This is not just a minor inconvenience. The congestion on this stretch of road affects hundreds of people daily, making travel difficult and frustrating. The issue becomes even more critical when you consider that this is a 100-foot road—relatively wide by local standards. However, even this width is no match for the mounting traffic, thanks to businesses that have occupied large parts of the road for their own use. These businesses, which are mainly garages and vehicle sales shops, are operating without proper authorization and are contributing to the ever-growing gridlock.
Commuters Face Daily Traffic Struggles
Vasai West is home to a variety of essential services and institutions. The Ambadi Road area, in particular, is a major hub that connects residents to schools, hospitals, markets, and the railway station. As a result, people from different parts of the region come here for work or other daily activities, many of them traveling by car or two-wheeler.
Adding to the chaos are the buses bound for the Vasai Industrial Estate and even private buses that travel to and from Mumbai. These large vehicles are often parked on the roadside, contributing to the already jam-packed situation. With traffic constantly building up and no clear way to move, it’s easy to see why the citizens of Vasai are frustrated.
“I drive to work every day, and it takes me twice as long to get through Ambadi Road now,” said a local resident. “The traffic is just unbearable, and it’s not because of too many cars—it’s because the road has been taken over by businesses that shouldn’t be there in the first place.”
A Plea for Help from the Authorities
Local citizens, who are fed up with the worsening traffic, have not remained silent. They’ve raised their concerns to both the traffic police and the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC). However, despite written complaints and verbal pleas, no action has been taken thus far to address the issue.
One prominent figure in the local community, Manoj Patil, who serves as the Vasai Election Head for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has taken up the cause on behalf of frustrated commuters. Recently, Patil, along with a delegation that included Bala Sawant, Siddhesh Tawde, Shemal Azhagiah, and Pranit Koppikar, submitted a formal letter to Municipal Commissioner Anilkumar Pawar and the Senior Police Inspector of Vasai Circle-2, urging them to take immediate action against these illegal encroachments.
Patil’s stance is clear: the illegal garages and vehicle showrooms that have taken over parts of the road must be removed. He also questioned whether the repeated fines and towing of citizen vehicles by traffic police were part of a deliberate attempt to inconvenience the public.
“Why are citizens constantly being punished for parking on the side of the road when the real problem is that there is no designated space for parking?” Patil asked in frustration. He went on to suggest that a more structured approach would be to introduce ‘Pay-and-Park’ facilities for the public, especially in areas where there is high demand for parking spaces. This, he argued, would offer much-needed relief to the citizens of Vasai, who are often left with no option but to park on the streets.
A Need for Official Parking Spaces
One of the most glaring issues in the Ambadi Road area is the complete lack of official parking spaces. With no municipal parking lot available, residents and commuters have no choice but to leave their vehicles on the roadside. The result? Traffic police routinely tow away vehicles and impose fines on the owners.
This practice has left many people wondering why proper parking facilities haven’t been established yet. Residents are already dealing with congested streets, and the added stress of having their vehicles towed only makes matters worse.
“Many of us have no option but to park our cars on the street because there’s simply nowhere else to park,” said one frustrated commuter. “But then the police come along and tow our cars, and we’re left paying hefty fines. It feels like we’re being penalized for something that isn’t even our fault.”
Locals Demand Change
The situation on Ambadi Road isn’t just about traffic jams—it’s a reflection of a larger issue concerning unregulated business practices and a lack of urban planning. With the town of Vasai continuing to grow, the need for more organized infrastructure is becoming increasingly clear. Locals believe that the authorities have turned a blind eye to the illegal activities on Ambadi Road for too long, and it’s high time for action to be taken.
In their petition, Manoj Patil and the citizens of Vasai have made it clear that they want a permanent solution to this problem. They have demanded that the illegal garages and vehicle sales shops be removed from the road, and that alternative arrangements, such as designated parking areas, be introduced to make life easier for the people who live and work in the area.
The Road Ahead
While no immediate action has been taken following the complaints and petitions, the citizens of Vasai are hopeful that their voices will be heard. The ball is now in the court of the municipal authorities and the traffic police, who must decide whether they will address the issue or continue to allow illegal encroachments to disrupt the daily lives of Vasai’s residents.
As the traffic on Ambadi Road continues to swell, the people of Vasai West are left to wonder: will things ever change? For now, the situation remains in limbo, and only time will tell whether the local authorities will step in to clear the roads and restore order.
