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ShareThey mark 'only for pedestrians' lanes on Ambedkar Road, block traffic
MUMBAI: Supported by locals, activists of Sahasi Padyatri (Brave Pedestrian), which has decided to take the confrontational route to "reclaim" pedestrian facilities, blocked vehicular traffic for a few minutes on the busy Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, near Khar Danda, on Wednesday to highlight their demands.
As cars honked in protest, activists demarcated six feet from the centre of the road on either side with distemper and marked them as lanes 'Only for Pedestrians'. The road abuts St Vincent De Paul Church and St Elias School.
Officials of the school and church managements, including school manager and parish priest Father Milton Gonsalves and church's civic and political cell member Daphne Warapen, supported the activists. After marking the lanes, the activists formed a human chain and walked on the centre of the road.
Gonsalves said the lack of pedestrian facilities put the lives of senior citizens and nearly 2,000 school students using the road at risk, as cars and other vehicles whizzed past them dangerously closely.
"The narrow road is a two-way," Gonsalves said. "Hutments and shopkeepers are running their enterprises on sidewalks meant for citizens to walk on. On leaving the school gates, a student finds himself facing speeding vehicles."
"We have been corresponding with the authorities on the issue for more than seven years," Warapen said. "But despite promises, the road has not yet been widened."
Krishnaraj Rao, honorary secretary, Sahasi Padyatri, said with pavements vanishing, millions of road-users were forced to walk on roads, endangering their lives.
