Mumbai: Despite HC banning parking under flyovers, MSRDC is yet to implement the order

It’s been three months since the state road agency banned parking of vehicles beneath flyovers in the city, but the agency is still dragging its feet over the beautification of these vacant slots under the bridges.

While the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) claims to have a plan to spruce up the space below flyovers, it’s shying away from setting a deadline for the job.

On August 6, the MSRDC issued a public notice which read: “Parking below flyovers has been stopped with immediate effect...” This notice was in keeping with a Bombay high court directive.

The court, in 2012, had directed that pay-and-park facility and parking under flyovers be discontinued as it posed a potential terror threat, especially after the July 2006 serial train blasts.

Still, even today, vacant space beneath flyovers is packed with vehicles — many of them abandoned ones. The MSRDC had asked people to vacate space below 11 flyovers across the city, failing which it threatened to tow away vehicles.

However, vehicles coated with dust can be seen parked below the bridges. Also, it’s common to find squatters who have set up home beneath these structures.

MSRDC joint managing director Santosh Kumar told dna the agency has “alternative plans to beautify the spaces under the bridges”.

Asked about the time frame to wrap up the beautification project, Kumar said: “At the moment, there is no time frame, but the beautification work will be carried out.”