Surfeit of solutions, decisions delayed Few Measures Initiated To Tackle Traffic And Parking

The TOI-IMRB survey ranks G-South ward among the best in the city, but residents and activists say solutions to fundamental issues like parking and traffic snarls remain elusive. The growth of commercial and residential complexes in Lower Parel, Worli, Prabhadevi and Mahalaxmi has been accompanied by illegal parking on roads and neverending vehicle queues at Worli Naka and Haji Ali, the gateways to south Mumbai. 

    With the BMC’s proposed parking policy, which focuses on residential premises, unlikely to address the ward’s problems, most experts advocate creation of more pay-andpark spaces and zero tolerance to illegal parking. “The authorities should ensure every commercial complex has adequate parking inside and there should be zero tolerance for illegal parking,” said transport expert Ashok Datar. 
    Civic officials said the completion of eight projects, in which public parking slots were approved under the parking floor space index, will address the issue. Under the Development Control Regulation (DCR) 33(24), the state government allowed extra FSI of up to 4 for a project if the developer makes four floors of public parking in his project. “Of 32 projects sanctioned so far, 20 are in the island city, eight of them in G(S) and adjoining areas. The projects will add over 2,000 parking slots to the area,” said a senior civic official. 
    But sceptics say existing parking slots, like the one in Apollo Mill that opened six months back, received lukewarm response. “Most parking lots are in lanes, not on main roads, so people are not keen to use them. Even when they were offered for free, only 50% slots were used,” said another official. Multi-storeyed commercial parking complexes also had few takers due to prohibitive charges. 
    Freeing the roads of illegally parked cars is, in turn, likely to ease traffic congestion. Mahesh Thakur, a traffic expert who travels from his Mahim home to his Nariman Point office, said, “The government has been slow to respond to the problem at Worli and Haji Ali junctions, though they connect the north to the south of the city.” 
    Most suggestions to reduce the area’s infamous traffic snarls have created controversy and are yet to move beyond the drawing board. For instance the Pedder Road flyover, a traffic roundabout and an underpass were proposed for the Haji Ali junction, but a decision is pending. 
    “An underpass will be of great help to diffuse traffic. But there is no progress on any of the solutions,” said A V Shenoy of the Mumbai Traffic Forum. A civic official said a signal roundabout could reduce travel time from one end of Haji Ali junction to the other by 20-30%. Traffic experts said greater frequency of BEST buses and more share-taxi stands could help. 
    Activist Vijay Pandit said while traffic in a city like Mumbai was too complex to be sorted out by one project, a beginning has to be made. “By not even experimenting with solutions, the government has allowed the problem to fester,” he said. 
G (SOUTH): ARTERIAL JUNCTIONS CLOGGED, PARKING CHAOTIC 
TRAFFIC PROPOSALS 
Pedder Road Flyover (2011) The proposed 4.2km-long Pedder Road flyover is to start from the north side of Haji Ali junction on Lala Lajpatrai Road and end at Wilson College on Girgaum Chowpatty. The project has faced criticism from several prominent personalities living in that area Status | Environmental clearance pending 
Haji Ali Roundabout (2010) The BMC along with the traffic police, proposed to create a roundabout at the Haji Ali junction and optimise use of traffic signals Status | No progress on the project, the BMC instead plans to do a traffic census of busy junctions to find other solutions. The process may take over a year 
Underpass From Haji Ali To Cadbury Junctions (2011) Traffic experts had proposed it as an alternative to the Pedder Road flyover Status | No progress on proposal PARKING SUGGESTIONS 1 
Public Parking Lot | 8 public parking lots, to be built by private developers in lieu of extra FSI granted under DCR 33(24), have 
    been sanctioned and are coming up in G-South ward Viability | Experts say it 
    is the best option so far, but since it’s a new concept, awareness needs to be created. Rates should be lower than main road parking lots to encourage use 2 
Private Parking Complex | Private payand-park complexes could 
lower their rates and bring 
    them to reasonable levels for more people to use Viability | 
    Experts are a divided lot. Some say they may help, others worry they will add to congestion as more people may bring cars 3 Civic Parking Policy | BMC’s new parking policy proposes increasing parking rates and giving parking permits to residents outside their buildings for night parking 
Viability | Won’t help much as it doesn’t include commercial premises 
FOOTPATHS 
Both citizens and activists said the BMC should ensure that footpaths are wellmaintained and the issue of encroachment is addressed. “Several complaints made to the BMC about footpaths being in a bad shape and encroachment by hawkers and shops have gone unheard. Only if the BMC takes action against them will footpaths be left for pedestrians,” said Akash Mokashi, a resident of Worli Naka who walks to his office at India Bulls centre.

COMMERCIAL COMPLEXES IN WORLI HAD ENTRY AND EXIT GATES ON THE SAME ROAD, INCREASING TRAFFIC. AT MY INSISTENCE, THE BMC GOT EXITS SHIFTED TO GATES BEHIND THE COMPLEXES, TO EASE TRAFFIC CONGESTION 
KISHORI PEDNEKAR | CORPORATOR, SHIV SENA

WE WILL INITIATE A TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, CALLED THE ‘CITY MOBILITY PLAN’. PREVIOUS PLANS TO UNCLOG BUSY JUNCTIONS DIDN’T TAKE OFF. BUT AFTER THIS SURVEY MANY MEASURES WILL BE EMPLOYED TO REDRESS THE TRAFFIC ISSUE 
SVR SRINIVAS | ADDITIONAL MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER

MSRDC WILL SOON FLOAT TENDERS FOR PEDDER ROAD FLYOVER. WIDENING OF ROADS IS ALSO BEING UNDERTAKEN TO EASE TRAFFIC. I HAVE PROPOSED A FLYOVER FROM SHAKTI MILLS OVER THE RAILWAY TRACK TO NM JOSHI MARG 
SACHIN AHIR | MLA (WORLI, MAHALAXMI, LOWER PAREL WEST)