Parel’s Bharatmata Junction set to get traffic island, bollards

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated a project to transform Bharatmata Junction on BA Road in Parel into a pedestrian-friendly space.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated a project to transform Bharatmata Junction on BA Road in Parel into a pedestrian-friendly space.

HT Image

The improved design will include a small traffic island on the south-bound arm of BA Road to ensure uninterrupted footpaths, bollards lining the edge of the footpath to streamline pedestrian movement, zebra crossings, and extending all road dividers by at least 2.5 metres to align with the zebra crossing.

Swapnaja Kshirsagar, assistant commissioner of the F Southward said, “The project design has been finalised, and work will start within 10-12 days. It will be completed within a month at the most.”

Identified as one of the three most critical junctions, the Bharatmata junction is an intersection of four roads. It is crucial as it leads to the Currey Road and Chinchpokli suburban train stations, and the Mint Colony Monorail station. Soon, BMC’s ambitious textile museum project at United Mills compound will also come up in the junction’s vicinity.

The other two crucial junctions are the BA Road’s intersection with Jagannath Bhatankar Road and BA Road’s intersection with Sane Guruji Road at Lalbaug Cha Raja.

The project for upgrading the Bharatmata junction was conceptualised by BMC with the help of WRI India, a partner under the Bloomberg Philanthropy’s initiative for road safety, three years ago. It was then put in cold storage due to lack of funds, a senior BMC officer confirmed. It has now been taken up again at a cost of ₹20 lakh.

A similar junction upgrading project was undertaken to revamp the junction opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

Before preparing the design for the project, WRI carried out pedestrian and vehicle traffic studies and safety inspection. In its concept note submitted to BMC, WRI has estimated at least 8000 pedestrians use this junction during peak hours of any day. A portion of the intersection on the northeast end has a large area in the middle of the junction, used by vehicles to overtake during traffic hours. This is on the pedestrian route while crossing BA Road.

Dhaval Ashar from WRI said, “Bharatmata Junction needs improvement and safety interventions. It is a huge intersection, with massive traffic from BA Road and pedestrians from the train station.” The design has conceptualised a 200 square feet traffic island in the area that will act as a refuge for pedestrians while crossing the road and will streamline traffic movement.