Flouting BMC's roadside vehicle washing ban poses serious threat to motorists

Location: Parel Village - Bhavya Supreme Complex. Pic/Suresh Karkera

In June last year, BMC corporator from Madanpura, Rais Shaikh, had moved a proposal demanding designated spaces for car washing below buildings. While many had found his demand frivolous, Shaikh had pointed out why the activity should not be ignored by the corporation.

At a meeting with officials, Shaikh had highlighted how roadside washing of vehicles was posing a threat to motorists, especially bikers, whose vehicles would skid when the roads got wet. The consequences were worse, when heavy vehicles accidentally leaked oil on these roads, while plying through the stretch, making it slippery.

Shaikh also revealed that there was currently no provision for this water to reach the stormwater drain, due to which it could get accumulated near building pillars, putting the structure at risk. While the corporator had asked the BMC to enact a law, making it compulsory to have a dedicated space for car washing inside the parking area of buildings, his proposal was rejected.

Last year, the BMC rejected a corporator's proposal for a law, which made it compulsory to have a space for car washing inside the parking area of buildings. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Year after year, as the number of vehicles increase on the road, the issue appears to be getting out of hand. While washing cars is the only source of income for most cleaners, autorickshaw and taxi drivers also make extra money through this activity. Interestingly, the Municipal Solid Waste Management Act introduced by the BMC in 2006, had already made the activity an illegal and punishable offence (see box). Despite this, the BMC continues to turn a blind eye to it.

mid-day visited a few spots in the city, where car washing is rampant, to find out how grave the problem is.

Location: Dhobi Talao - Metro Cinema lane. Pics/Bipin Kokate

In the Metro Cinema lane, opposite Walter D'Souza garden, car washing begins as early as 5.30 am. During a visit to the spot, we found two big drums of water kept on the roadside. The drums were used to clean the taxis and tourist cars that were parked alongside the road. The man, who was washing the taxi, said that each drum has a capacity of 100 litres, and costs him around Rs 1,000.

Also read: PMC bans misuse of water at car washing centres

On a daily basis, hundreds of private cars and taxis are washed at this location, making the road slippery. Water that accumulates is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Location: Dhobi Talao - Metro Cinema lane

Resident speaks:
"Due to the washing of cars, the road near Metro is always slippery in the mornings. In the past, there have been a few accidents at this spot. While there hasn't been any serious casualty yet, the authorities should take action, before it gets too late," said Damodar Shah from Kalbadevi.

Location: Parel - Bhavya Supreme Complex. Pic/Suresh Karkera

At any given time in the morning, you will find at least five to 10 people on the roadside below Bhavya Supreme Complex in Parel, washing parked cars. On the opposite side of the road, a small tank has been constructed, where water from a leaked pipeline, is illegally stored.

The spot is most vulnerable as both sides of the road are used for car washing. The activity starts by 5 am and doesn't end till 9 in the morning. When mid-day confronted one of the men, who was washing a car, he said, "We clean this place after our work is done."

Location: Parel - Bhavya Supreme Complex. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Resident speaks:
"This place is an absolute mess. Around 400m of the road is encroached by car washers in the morning. By the time they are done, the area is filled with dirty water. The motorists, especially those with two-wheelers, have to be careful while passing through this stretch. We need some kind of designated space for such activity," said Anil Chourasia, a resident of Elphinstone Road.

Location: Kalanagar - Chetna College lane. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

A few metres away from Chetna College is a public toilet, which has become a major source of water supply to wash hundreds of vehicles, especially taxis and autorickshaws. Washing starts around 6.30 am and goes on for two hours. Not only are civic amenities being used illegally for this purpose, what is also worrisome is that a lot of soap and shampoo is utilised to wash the vehicles, making it a perilous stretch.

Resident speaks:
"The illegal car washing activity near Chetna College has been going on for the last three years now, and the BMC is conveniently ignoring the problem. Motorists using the road should come together and protest, as the area has become accident-prone. The BMC needs to impose heavy fines against these washers," said Ankush N (name changed on request), a resident of Bandra Government Colony.

Location: Metro Station - Andheri Ghatkopar Link Rd. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

The AGLR is an important arterial road that connects Andheri East with Ghatkopar. This road, which passes below the Metro corridor, is used by thousands of vehicles daily. At around 6 am, when mid-day visited the east-bound stretch of the road, we observed that vehicles had already lined up. When this reporter interacted with workers, they said that around 200 vehicles are washed at this location daily, and at least 15 to 20 litres of water is needed per vehicle. Even here, water is procured from a civic toilet in a nearby chawl.

Aziz Amreliwali, Activist

Resident speaks:
"Car washing has been continuing here for the last 10 years. Time and again, I have raised the issue with the authorities concerned, but no action has been taken. The footpaths are encroached by these car washers, and school kids and pedestrians have to walk through the slippery road surface," activist and Marol resident Aziz Amreliwali.

Also read - Car wash centres utilising drinking water: Activists