Churchgate taxi traffic issue solved

The taxi menace outside Churchgate station has been taken care of by traffic police. They have regulated the movement of taxis and even BEST buses, which, for long, has been causing congestion outside the rail premises. Over the last few days, there have been red colour barricades placed on the road, meant to segregate flow of traffic.

The presence of barricades might sound negligible, but in the morning and evening, when people rush to Churchgate station, this has brought respite. There is proper segregation of vehicular traffic unlike previously when traffic jams and chaos prevailed. The black and yellow taxis would park haphazardly on road, creating two or three parking lines.

These cabs don't move until they get a passenger, which causes a traffic nightmare. There is also a share-a-taxi stand which augments the problem on road. Drivers queue up till the bus stops, which make it difficult for the BEST buses.

"We have been doing whatever possible to ease traffic on the roads," said Ashok Dudhe, DCP Traffic (City).

Now, ever since these barricades have been placed, the black and yellow taxis have been asked to drop passengers and move ahead without stopping. Buses find it easier to come all the way till the bus stops there and move forward towards Marine Lines.

Sources from Western Railways said that this is part of the whole plan to ease congestion outside railway stations. The multi-disciplinary audit teams have suggested this to create space outside stations for free movement of people. "It has been found that people are forced to unnecessarily wait at bus stops, which creates more crowd at station premises," said a WR official.

NEW FOB

• Meanwhile, the Army and Railway authorities began preliminary work at Elphinstone Road. They began taking measurements for the new foot over-bridge (FOB) that will be extended from the existing Parel FOB. This 3.5-m wide FOB will have to cross seven rail lines and is expected to be ready by January 31.