Mumbai: How police got Crawford Market out of almighty jam

Traffic police regulate vehicle movement. Pics/ Ashish Raje

Despite the threat of COVID-19, diwali shoppers have made a beeline for Crawford Market. In an attempt to ease the jams caused by this in the already busy area, the traffic police have taken some measures. These include separate lanes for pick-ups and drops, specific times for transporting goods and three fixed places for pedestrians. In addition, if a vehicle has to pick-up or drop someone in the area, it cannot stop for more than 30 seconds.

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The bustling Crawford Market area in south Mumbai, has government offices, markets and colleges. Thousands of vehicles pass through it every day. Illegal parking, delays for pick-ups and drops, people crossing the road in the wrong direction, parking of vehicles carrying merchant goods and hawkers also cause traffic jams there.
After studying the jams, the traffic police came up with these measures.

Barricades have also been set up all over the area to prevent traffic jams. Handcarts and freight vehicles have been given specific times to operate.

Similarly, precautions have been taken to avoid traffic jams due to vendors selling on the road. Officers from Kalbadevi, Azad Maidan and Pydhonie traffic police will be on duty in the area. There will be constant patrolling. There will be 27 towing vans, 58 clamping and 20 no parking movements in the area from November 2 to November 8.

Some of the barricades put up near Crawford Market . The area is always busy as thousands of vehicles pass through it every day. The area also has several markets, offices and colleges.

The traffic police have also acted in other market areas where also there are traffic problems. The Azad Maidan traffic police have towed 39 vehicles, clamped 42 vehicles and made 3 no parking challans. In Dadar the traffic police have towed 101 vehicles, clamped 40 vehicles and issued 71 no parking challans.

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Praveen Padwal, additional commissioner (Traffic) told mid-day, "The traffic congestion at Crawford Market was studied and measures have been taken to regulate it. Citizens should also follow traffic rules."

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