Police spot ‘pain points’ in city’s traffic flow

After an extensive survey, Mumbai traffic police have identified five locations across the city which are worst-affected by traffic congestion. Referring to these locations as ‘pain points’, the traffic police have sent solutions to the departments concerned to resolve the traffic woes of the commuters.

Mumbai: Mumbai, which is the fourth most congested city in the world with 65% congestion, has seen the traffic situation worsening off late. And the citizens are bearing the brunt of this in their daily commute,

Mumbai, India - July 09, 2023 : Huge traffic seen near Station at Borivali West, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, July 09, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

After an extensive survey, Mumbai traffic police have identified five locations across the city which are worst-affected by traffic congestion. Referring to these locations as ‘pain points’, the traffic police have sent solutions to the departments concerned to resolve the traffic woes of the commuters. Here are the five locations.

Bandra East and BKC:

Bandra East and Bandra-Kurla Complex, which is a commercial hub, face such acute traffic problems that Twitter users have suggested renaming it as ‘Traffic Jam East’.

According to Pravin Padwal, joint commissioner of police (traffic), the railway station exit in Bandra East is the worst for commuters and pedestrians because of the haphazard way autos are parked on the road and the indiscipline of share auto drivers. Commuters also complain of congestion on the roads due to pedestrians, which makes it difficult for vehicles to pass through. Officials say that the problem at BKC is aggravated due to an increase in private vehicles.

Padwal said that for these problems they have written to the MMRDA to reconstruct the foot over bridge which had been dismantled. Apart from this the traffic police have suggested constructing a subway for the pedestrian crossing.

A letter has also been written to railways to demolish the unused ticket counter so that the BEST buses could get more space. The police have also told the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation to set up designated share auto and taxi lanes at the station and BKC so that they do not obstruct moving traffic.

Bandra West Lucky junction:

It may have got the name from Lucky restaurant at the corner of the junction, but Twitter users call it ‘the unlucky junction’. This spot is amongst the most congested with pedestrians crossing the roads haphazardly and mismanagement of vehicular traffic due to frequent diversions.

The junction is crucial for travel as it is the beginning of SV road, the main arterial road of the city connecting entire western and northern suburbs to South Mumbai. The junction also is the intersection to travel to Bandra west and connecting point for the Western Express Highway.

The traffic police have written to the MMRDA to construct a subway from Lucky junction to the Bandra station and would also write to the Metro authorities to connect the Railway station to the metro station through a skywalk. “We have also written to the BEST to ply buses from the Bandra station instead of the depot like the share autos and taxis,” said Padwal.

Western Express Highway T2 entrance:

The crisscross of vehicles travelling from Northern Mumbai towards Vile Parle and the exit of vehicles from Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport causes a huge logjam of vehicles on the WEH which often continues till Goregaon, increasing the travel time of commuters by more than 40 minutes in peak hours.

Traffic police officers say that it becomes even more difficult for motorists if a single heavy vehicle or a BEST bus breaks down on the Vile Parle flyover. To ease this problem, the traffic police have written to BEST to conduct an inspection of the health of their buses every six months to avoid sudden breakdowns as if a BEST bus breaks down, only the mechanic sent by the department is allowed to repair it. Till that happens, the traffic police have no option but to keep the vehicle standing on the road.

The traffic police have also written to the authorities to complete the construction of the bridge in a short time so that the vehicles exiting the T2 could directly ply on the bridge. “We have also asked the BMC to put up sign boards for diversions of the T2 entrance on the road to avoid confusion,” said Padwal.

Borivali West station:

The SV Road outside the station in Borivali West is a nightmare for commuters due to hawkers, who have captured not just the foot paths but also half of the road. As a result, the traffic police officers said, pedestrians are forced to walk in the middle of the road. Padwal said that traffic police personnel have been asked to clear out the hawkers, but they resurface as soon the officials leave. To solve this problem, the traffic police have written to the BMC to carry out a drive to clear the area off the hawkers every day and to ensure that they do not return.

Churchgate station:

Pedestrians crossing the road outside Churchgate station has been a perpetual problem for the motorists. The traffic police have written to BEST to keep space for just one person to pass through the bus stop entry point from the station on the west side of the station. The traffic police have also told the BMC to construct a higher road divider between the roads outside Churchgate station so that pedestrians cannot cross them.

After conducting a study, the traffic police have written a letter to BEST to keep space for just one person to pass through the bus stop entry point to the station on the west side of the station. The traffic police have also told the BMC to construct a higher divider between the roads outside Churchgate station so that pedestrians cannot cross them. The traffic police have also decided to carry out J-walking drives and penalise people for J-walking wherever subways are available,” added Padwal.

City’s traffic pain points:

Mumbai Traffic Police have identified the worst-affected traffic jam spots in the city and have sent solutions to concerned departments. Here are the names of those areas and the remedies suggested:

Bandra East

Problems:

Haphazard parking of share autos and their monopoly.

Frequent Pedestrian crossings obstructing moving traffic.

Solutions:

Set up systematic share auto and taxi pick-up points.

Remove the unused ticket counter so that the BEST buses can get more space.

Construct a subway for pedestrian crossings.

Reconstruct the skywalk.

Bandra West Lucky junction

Problems:

Frequent and haphazard pedestrian crossing; mismanagement of vehicular traffic.

Solutions:

Construct a subway from Lucky junction to the station.

Build a skywalk connecting the metro station to the local train station.

BEST buses pick-up point from station rather than depot to avoid traffic jams.

T2 opening on Western Express Highway.

Problems:

Crisscrossing of vehicles coming out of T2 and those coming from North towards Vile Parle.

Breakdowns of BEST buses on Vile Parle flyover.

Solutions:

Speeding up construction of bridge from T2 entrance to Vile Parle flyover.

Regular check of BEST buses to avoid breakdowns.

Signboards at T2 entrance to avoid confusion.

Borivali station:

Problems: Hawkers have taken over the entire footpath leaving no space for pedestrians. The vendors have encroached half of the road, obstructing traffic.

Solution: A regular clearance of hawkers by the BMC and to make sure they do not reappear.

Churchgate station

Problems: Pedestrians cross the road, outside the station, haphazardly despite the presence of subways.

Solutions: To build higher dividers on the roads outside station

Leave space for just one person to pass through from the station premises on the eastern side of the station.

Carry out drives to penalise jay walkers where subways are available.