According to traffic police, a lot of people preferred to walk on the skywalk to reach the Bandra court as well as Kalanagar but now with the skywalk shut they have no option but to walk using the road
Even as the most popular and the busiest skywalk of the city, located at Bandra (East) has been made completely out of bounds for public since last week causing major chaos near the station area, BMC's H/East ward along with the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) Traffic division are working in tandem trying to reduce the chaos on the AK Marg (Bandra station road).
Given the fact that there are many government and corporate offices as well as a business hub like BKC located in Bandra (east), extremely heavy commuter movement can be seen right outside the station.
According to traffic police, a lot of people preferred to walk on the skywalk to reach the Bandra court as well as Kalanagar but now with the skywalk shut they have no option but to walk using the road. Speaking to DNA, Ashok Khairnar, assistant municipal commissioner, H/East ward said that they knew that after the skywalk was shut there would be heavy pedestrian movement on the road between Station to Bandra court and unfortunately the road didn't have a proper footpath.
"We got all the encroachments removed from the existing wide footpath below the skywalk despite resistance from few locals and have made it walkable again. It has been paved properly and even the walls have been repainted," said Khairnar adding that the BMC staff has also taken action on those who used to park their vehicles on the footpath.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Khatale, senior police inspector, BKC traffic division said that they have also asked Railway Protection Force (RPF) to post it staff near the staircase of the Foot Over Bridge (FOB) landing at Bandra (east).
Khatale explained that all the pedestrians who used to take the skywalk earlier now end up using the only staircase of the FOB which has made it very crowded. "We have asked RPF to post their staff to ensure there is order maintained and there is no rush or a stampede-like situation," he said.
The traffic police have also asked BMC for removal of all encroachments between the railway station and Bandra court including a huge open garbage bin to ensure smooth vehicular movement.
"We have also increased the manpower near the station area to ensure smooth traffic movement and have asked the share auto operators to use the stand provided to them below the skywalk, which will ease congestion," said Khatale.
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