The State government has proposed the formation of a nine-member committee to study the problems of parking and traffic congestion, prevalent in Mumbai. The committee will recommend ways on how traffic rules can be enforced strictly and traffic congestion can be eased out by adopting different ways.
Advocate General, Ashutosh Kumbhakoni appearing for the state told the high court that the nine-member committee will include, officials from the traffic department, transport department, municipal corporation, metro rail corporation, BEST, MMRDA, etc. The committee will be operational on a pilot basis in Mumbai, which will give its recommendations to the State government and after seeing its progress and effectiveness, it may be extended to other cities.
He also said that the committee can invite any person for appropriate interaction who in the opinion of the committee will be able to render valuable assistance.
Kumbhakoni said that a public notice will be printed in local newspapers informing the people about the formation of the committee along with its members, contact numbers or email address. The citizens can share their suggestions with the committee. A website can also be started for the committee to interact with the citizens.
The terms of reference for the committee will be to address the ever-growing problem of parking and traffic congestion. Identify and mark on-street parking, off-street, no parking, multi-level parking locations in the city. It will also recommend strict action to be taken on the repeat offender . A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Girish Kulkarni gave a go-ahead for the setting up of the committee and asked for a progress report be filed by October 15.
RESPONSIBILITY
The committee will be tasked with identifying parking for disabled persons and emergency vehicles like ambulances. Also, consider the aspect of imposing a congestion fee for entry in central business district areas.
