A day after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) neglected pedestrians in the civic budget, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has also joined in to increase pedestrian woes. For smooth flow of traffic on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, after the construction of flyovers on the stretch, the MMRDA has requested the BMC to reduce footpaths on the road. And, the civic body has agreed to the demand with certain conditions.
The MMRDA is constructing five flyovers on Ambedkar Road, thus virtually making it a signal-free stretch. Two of the flyovers — Sion Hospital and Hindmata junction — have been already opened for traffic and the other three are nearing completion.
Once the newly constructed flyovers are opened, the traffic coming down from them — which will mix with the traffic flowing from below the flyovers — is likely to get stuck at a few junctions as the road is narrow. Keeping this in mind, the MMRDA has written to the BMC to reduce the size of footpaths and make the road wide for vehicular traffic flow.
The specific spots where the authority expects traffic flow to slow down and cause jams are near the Hindmata junction and at the Byculla Zoo.
After receiving the MMRDA’s request, BMC additional municipal commissioner RA Rajeev visited the spots on Wednesday. “The footpath at the Byculla Zoo is already occupied by three stalls, which are authorised. Thanks to the stalls, the effective width of the footpath is already narrow. If the MMRDA provides alternative stalls to the owners here, then it is possible to reduce the width,” Rajeev told DNA.
An officer from the BMC’s road department said that the civic body will be asking the MMRDA to relocate the stalls and other hawkers situated on the footpath near the Hindmata junction and the Byculla Zoo. “The BMC will also ask MMRDA to include the cost of shifting the stalls and hawkers in their project cost,” the officer added.
