Mumbai: Pedestrian-friendly CSMT-BMC junction irks corporators

The transformed CST Times Square area. Pics/Suresh KK

The busy junction just outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus was a pedestrian's nightmare until the recent makeover, which has brought a smile to the face of the Mumbaikars who choose to cross the road at the CST-BMC junction.

However, the corporators are not at all happy with the safe zone created for the pedestrians they expressed their displeasure at the Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday. Whining about how the pedestrian-friendly renovation has left little space for motor vehicles, they have demanded a rollback of the project.

Raising the issue, Congress corporator Javed Juneja said, "There has been an increase in the number of accidents over the past month due to obstructions on the roads. The roads were already narrow and insufficient for vehicles."

Leader of Opposition and Standing Committee member Ravi Raja backed Juneja and said that 20 per cent of the space is already reserved for the pedestrians, who can take the footpaths or subways.

'Idea best for Western states'
Corporator Sujata Sanap also opposed the idea and complained that the "hawkers have encroached the space". She added, "The idea can be implemented in Western world cities where there is ample space on roads."

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with the help of Bloomberg Philanthropies, created safe zones on the roads outside CST railway station and BMC headquarters in the last week of October. A part of the roads used less by vehicles have been painted yellow and divided by flower pots, cement blocks and benches for the use of pedestrians. Wide zebra crossings have also been created.

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