Thane Traffic Woes Escalate Despite New Roads, Resident Warns Potential Buyers
Mumbai and Thane have long grappled with heavy traffic, and the situation is only getting worse. Even though the roads in Thane are generally in good condition, the increasing number of vehicles has made daily commuting a real challenge. A resident recently shared a warning for anyone thinking of buying a home there, describing a harrowing experience of spending nearly an hour covering just 8 kilometers between Mulund Navghar Flyover and Majiwada, moving at an average speed of barely 10 km per hour.
With new housing projects in Thane now priced similarly to Mumbai, the slow traffic adds a significant layer of concern for potential buyers. The resident pointed out that even new elevated roads won’t solve the problem, as the number of cars keeps rising faster than the infrastructure can handle. They advised others to only consider living in Thane if they work from home, are retired, or their job is nearby. Anyone commuting to Mumbai on a daily basis might find the experience extremely stressful.
The resident took to social media to share their experience. “Thinking of buying a house in Thane? I just spent 50 minutes moving 8 km from Mulund Navghar Flyover to Majiwada at an average speed of approximately 9.6 km per hour. New projects in Thane are now quoting Mumbai prices, which makes zero sense when you realize you’ll be spending half your life in gridlock,” they wrote. They added, “The new elevated road won’t save you for long either. Car ownership is growing too fast for the infrastructure to keep up. Only buy in Thane if you are retired, work from home, your office is in Thane, or you actually enjoy sitting in traffic. If you commute to Mumbai daily, save your money and your sanity.”
Reacting to the post, a user shared their own experience, “I shifted to Thane and work in Lower Parel, so I have changed my schedule. I leave home at 7 to reach by 8 and try to leave Parel by 4 to reach back by 5:30 odd. I think that is the best you can do.” Another commented, “If your purpose is only to choose a residential area, then GB Road, Thane City, is a better option, even compared to Navi Mumbai and some areas of Mumbai City. However, if your work is based in Mumbai City, then don’t even think about buying property on GB Road, Thane.”
Some residents suggested alternative solutions, such as using trains more frequently and parking their bikes or two-wheelers at Thane station to reach home, rather than driving through heavy traffic. One individual noted, “Thane is to Mumbai what Howrah is to Kolkata. A district headquarters that borders a metropolis always ends up playing second fiddle.”
When asked if the metro would alleviate the traffic, the resident responded, “How much traffic has reduced on WEH after the metro started operations? How much traffic has reduced on Andheri Ghatkopar Road, Sakinaka, after Line 1? Also, Metro Line 4 will not be connecting to the office for everyone.”
The resident further informed that while the roads in Thane are in good condition and the footpaths are much better compared to Mumbai, the issue lies in the sheer number of cars. Some junctions, especially at Majiwada and Kapurbawdi, are very crowded and confusing, and they need to be completely redesigned to fix the problems.
