Column

On Friday, deputy chief minister Chaggan Bhujbal and Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel arrived in Navi Mumbai in a private chopper to inaugurate 10th edition of the BANM (Builders Association of Navi Mumbai) property exhibition.

Their private chopper landed in Navi Mumbai Sport Association ground in Vashi which is barely half-a-kilometre away from the toll plaza where we commoners keep shelling out Rs30 upon every entry and exit. Ministers’ chopper and the entourage of vehicles had a free ride although they crossed the same plaza, either on the ground or in air, meant to charge every vehicle that passes through.

Sometimes we create rules for the functioning of society, but with the passage of time such stipulations seek to hassle the same people.

Let me elaborate. Establishment of the railway network revolutionised urban planning in Mumbai. The growth of the same heaped rich dividends on those who live in the extended fringes of what is now called the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The idea of the British to start the railway from Victoria Terminus (now CST) to Thane was to actually decongest the island city. They expected that with the easy commute from the hinterland to the main city, people would prefer moving to the fringes and free the island city and tony areas like not only Colaba and Malabar Hills but also Shiv (now Sion) and Curla (now Kurla).

To encourage people to stay away from the main island city, slowly the administration brought a monthly pass system which was far cheaper than the daily ticket, so that people would vacate the posh land meant for the rich and famous.

But today this very idea has become an Albatross around the neck of Navi Mumbaikars. Firstly it is a drain on their wallet. I fail to understand why a Navi Mumbaikar has to pay a toll for the bridges built in island city of Mumbai? The toll is to cover the cost of the bridge that was built some 25 years ago between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. But it seems that the issue of toll will never cease, because it is a cash cow for the state!

In fact, Navi Mumbai is a miracle in itself. The world’s largest planned city has always been one up on Mumbai. While Mumbaikars have to do with narrow roads. Navi Mumbaikars, cruise in their SUVs on wide roads, which can rival the autobahns of Germany. While the city may pride over the sea link, here people have been gliding over the 14-kilometre-long Palm Beach Road stretching from Mahape to Belapur.

At least 20% of Mumbai’s students go to Navi Mumbai for their higher studies. It doesn’t pinch water from the island city, it has a 24 km-long coastline and now it is
going to get a Disneyland amusement park and an airport very soon. On January 16, bids will open for building
Disneyland. In fact, National Geographic channel named Navi Mumbai as one of the Super Cities of the World and not Mumbai.

Yet the fleecing of locals at the toll plazas continues unabated. This is also deterring young professionals from moving to Navi Mumbai, because they fear that the toll amount may increase. Today there is a simmering demand among local inhabitants that there must be a toll plaza at a place like Panvel since inhabitants there also use the facilities of Navi Mumbai. Will the government oblige the people of Navi Mumbai?