Court asks authorities to draw up plan to ease up ever-growing congestion on Mumbai's roads
The Bombay High Court has asked state and civic officials to draw up a plan to ease up the ever-growing traffic on Mumbai's roads and parking problems.
"We cannot allow so much of influx on the roads, which takes away walking space of pedestrians. Something needs to be done," said a division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N W Sambre on a public interest litigation.
The has asked the state transport department, commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other authorities give details of the number of vehicles that are daily registered in Mumbai and steps being taken to resolve parking woes and stop excess cars on roads. It has set February 16 as the deadline for the information.
Justice Patil said the corporation is the custodian of the city, what is the commissioner doing to provide parking lots and multi-level parking areas. "People are rich they will not mind paying for proper parking."
According to media reports, the city saw its registered vehicle population rising by 10 lakhs in the 10 years to 2011-12. It had taken a decade to reach the 10-lakh mark, from 3.2 lakh in 1980-81.
Similarly, it directed the state to study the problem of excess cars in other metropolis cities like Delhi and other countries. The direction was given during the hearing of a petition filed by NGO Janhit Manch. Convenor of the NGO Bhagwanji Rayani argued "I live in JVPD scheme that is in Vile Parle west, but if i have to go to Vile Parle East it will take me almost an hour to reach."
According to the public interest litigation, authorities should regulate the traffic in view of the increasing number of vehicles which is causing a nuisance to the general public at large. The PIL prays for several directions with regards to regulation of vehicles and traffic, by imposing congestion tax, etc.
Easier finance options for cars and rising demand for two-wheelers added nearly 10 lakh vehicles to Mumbai's roads. The city had nearly 32 lakh vehicles as of November 2017, said recent reports.
What HC said
- “We cannot allow so much of influx on the roads, which takes away walking space of pedestrians. Something needs to be done,” said a bench of Justices Naresh Patil and N W Sambre
- The observation came during hearing of a PIL that raised citizens’ woes because of traffic jams
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