Navi Mumbai: Roadside garages trouble residents

Residents passing through sector 1 in Nerul are finding it tough to move due to the presence of several garages in the area. The garages, which have literally hijacked footpaths and roads are causing traffic congestion in the area.

According to Prabhakar Mhatre, a resident of Shirawane, “Garages are proving to be a headache for motorists as well as pedestrians. You will find garage owners and mechanics on footpaths and roads near DY Patil College from LP company to the road leading toward Rajiv Gandhi flyover.

Haphazardly parked vehicles outside these garages also cause traffic jams.”

Mhatre added, “Most of the times, mechanics repair vehicles on footpaths and even pedestrians find it difficult to move. It is high time traffic police acts against these garages and take appropriate action.”

Sharing similar views was another resident Sanjay Kumar, who said, “Repairs should be carried out from a dedicated space and vehicles should not be repaired on roads as it leads to traffic snarls and can also cause accidents in case there is oil or fuel leakage. Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) should act against such garages.”

A civic official said, “Garages operating from roads have become a common practice in Navi Mumbai and there is a need to curb them. Certain areas in the nodes should be earmarked for garages. Most of the times people living in residential areas complain to us about garages in their buildings which is a cause of inconvenience to them. Certain changes need to be made to the law whereby garages in buildings or along roads are banned.”

An official from traffic department said, “We take action as and when something happens but the menace will continue till these garages are given a dedicated space.”