Residents of Colaba are happy with the revamp plan for Gateway of India — not because of the beautifying gardens or fountains, but because the civic body has proposed a parking lot for the area.
Based on pay-and-park scheme, it will accommodate 45 cars and 18 taxis and drop-off bays for tourist buses. The earlier plan did not make provision for private car parking.
The Rs 4.5 crore-beautification project is being implemented by architect P.K. Das on behalf of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. The original plan that took off in 2007 included restructuring and barricading of gardens, creating space for food plaza, developing an area for water fountains, kiosks, toilets, ticket centre for ferry rides.
“We surveyed the area after receiving complaints of traffic congestion from local residents and corporators. We found that the place got overcrowded with tourist vehicles and vehicles coming to the Taj hotel, as the area does not have proper parking facilities,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Anil Diggikar, who suggested the modification.
“This is only an expansion to the earlier plan and will not require any state permissions,” said Das.
{{/usCountry}}“This is only an expansion to the earlier plan and will not require any state permissions,” said Das.
{{/usCountry}}Local residents are happy with the proposed modification.“There would have been no place to walk with double and triple row parking. This move will bring in some vigilance in the way cars are parked,” said Remu Jhaveri of the Colaba Tourist Welfare Association, who spoke on begalf of the Colaba and Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association.