Mumbai: BMC agrees to build road to decongest traffic at Chandivli

Residents meet Addl Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu on Friday

The BMC has agreed to heed Chandivli residents, who have been demanding that a road be constructed to decongest traffic in their area for months. In a meeting with locals on Friday, Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu instructed the departments concerned to start taking action. Despite registering numerous requests, BMC officials were in no mood to hear the pleas of residents, but after a protest was held on Sunday, the latter have some hope that a solution will be arrived at sooner or later.

Once known for small industries, Chandivli developed into a residential area with many high-rises over the past two decades. But connecting roads there remained narrow and can't accommodate heavy traffic. There are two congested routes: Chandivli Farm Road and DP Road 9. On both roads, a vehicle is as good as frozen if a BEST bus happens to be ahead of it. DP Road 9, which is the only route connecting the area to the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road, has innumerable paver block patches.

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The BMC's Development Plan had proposed the building of a 600-metre-long and 90-feet-wide road, which would have connected Sakinaka and JVLR via Chandivli Farm Road. Residents have been running from pillar to post to get the road proposed in the DP constructed, but have received no response. Finally, the residents arranged a protest march and more than 400 participated. On Friday, a meeting was held at the BMC headquarters to resolve the issue at Velrasu's office.

"Officers concerned attended via video conferencing. The additional commissioner assured us that the process would start immediately and there will be a review meeting after a month. It is a very positive development for us," said Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder, Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA).

A BMC official said land needs to be demarcated for the road as it belongs to certain companies. "The development plan department will initiate the process. Besides, there are a few structures that need to be relocated to construct a road. We received instructions and the process has already been started," said the official. The residents also demanded that encroachments be cleared on DP Road 9.

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Day in Feb when locals met Velrasu