[sustran] Fallacy of constructing infrastrure facilities for motorists.

[kisan mehta]

Dear Sustran Colleagues,

We give hereunder a report published in the Times of India on           the longest elevated road-flyover- that the government is        constructing in Mumbai.   The govt has constructed more than            50 flyovers in last three years in Mumbai creating irreparable     damage to the residents.  That the flyovers etc would also             cause problems to motorists, for whom these are built at an undisclosed cost of Rs 20 billion, was not anticipated earlier.   

We append below our letter to the Editor which hopefully the         Editor  would publish though the press is supporting such  infrastructure projects to meet the World Bank dictat. 

This exchange would show the futility of constructing the             flyovers which public road busescannot use.  The govt is now   pursuing with the Sealink within the congested Island City          (average density of population of 55,000 persons per sq km).          The cost is  not  disclosed. It cannot be lower than Rs 70 billion         for the use of 20,000 personal vehicle owers per day.                      Best wishes.

Priya Salvi and Kisan Mehta 

_____________________________

Ground reality may be unpleasant for motorists 

using J.J.Marg flyover                                                                   

The Times of India, Mumbai Edition, dated 23, 2002  

MUMBAI : The cruise on the flyover may well end in a long crawl on the road. This is one apprehension motorists are  nursing regarding the 2.4km-long J.J.marg flyover, which will be thrown open to the public next month.

Motorists using the viaduct, which links the J.J.hospital area with Crawford market, will be able to fly over as many as 13 traffic signals and important junctions. The question that is being raised is whether the superfast flow of vehicles will result in a massive traffic jam at the foot of the flyover near Crawford Market.

The traffic police and officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) have ruled out the           possibility of major traffic snarls at any of two ends. "The traffic  flow from Crawford market towards CST is fast and there will not be a problem of congestion," MSRDC joint managing director S.S.Momin told TNN, adding that the stretch from Crawford market towards CST had eight lanes and had a higher capacity to carry vehicles.

Another worry for motorists and pedestrians alike is the presence of hawkers and the unregulated parking of taxis and private tourist buses on the MRA marg, close to the police commissionerate.

The exploitation of the open space under the approach road to  the flyover from the Crawford market side is another worrisome factor. 

The open space is to be let out for approximately 84 shops and hawker pitches on invitation of tenders. " This is still in a   preliminary stage and a definite proposal has not been  finalised," Mr Momin said. However, shops or hawkers under the flyover would not lead to traffic congestion, he said. Pay-and-park facilities too had been provided under the flyover, he noted.

Traffic police officials also echoed similar sentiments. "We  will ensure that the traffic flows smoothly from the southern  and northern ramps of the flyovers." said deputy commissioner (traffic) Himanshu Roy. When asked about the possibility of traffic congestion on either end of flyover, he said that, he did not apprehend any such problem but "if there is any problem we will deal with it. Such a problem has not occurred in the case of the  other flyovers in city."

_______________________________________________

Letter to the Editor from Kisan Mehta

The report "Ground reality may be unpleasant for motorists 
using JJ Marg flyover" published in the Times of India dated 
23 March obviously does not refer to the travails of citizens 
and vehicles who cannot use the 2.4 km long elevated road 
though they will be victims of this totally illadvised venture. 

Experience at much shorter Dadar Flyover can show 
as to what will happen to non-users of flyovers and 
elevated roads. Less than 30% of vehicles use the 
Dadar flyover with the balance 70% left to fight for 
space on the drastically narrowed down ground level 
carriageways crowded with non-motorised vehicles, handcarts, hawkers, hundreds of pedestrians running  helterskelter to save themselves while crossing the road.  Two, three and four wheeler vehicles illegally parked on pavements and carriageways plus 200 parked 
authorisedly underneath the flyover create serious 
problems for the movement of BEST, State Transport, intercity and school buses.  
   
The area through which the elevated road passes is always
congested.  In addition to resident density of 90,000 persons 
per sq km, this area draws millions of visitors as all wholesale 
trading markets are located right there.   Only insensive and 
ignorant bureaucrats unconcerend about citizen safety can 
think of providing more shops underneath the elevated road.  
  
Worst sufferers would always be the non-users of the 
elevated road, public transport and citizens, who 
would be exposed to suffocating pollution trapped 
by the elevated road. 
 
Kisan Mehta 
Save Bombay Committee
email kisansbc at vsnl.com     
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20020401/6417cf4c/attachment.htm