Residents say newly-built 13-km cycling track inaugurated in BKC last Sunday is unfinished, uneven, and is being used as a parking site
Residents say newly-built 13-km cycling track inaugurated in BKC last Sunday is unfinished, uneven, and is being used as a parking site
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The newly-inaugurated cycling track, painted green to denote its eco-friendliness, in the city's premier commercial estate, may have earned the CM's praise and self-congratulations from the MMRDA, but from the residents, it has gained an acerbic critique.u00a0 Did the CM not know the actual status of the project? Why did the MMRDA inaugurate the track when it was yet to be touched up? These are questions residents were asking, when MiD DAY spoke to them four days after it was officially declared open for use.
Parking zone, cycling track or neither? MMRDA has warned motorists not
to park in the cycling zone but to no avail. In fact the state of some tracks
u00a0is not fit for cycling either. Pics/Sameer Markande
The openingu00a0
Last Sunday, CM Prithviraj Chavan inaugurated Mumbai's first cycling track. Constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at the BKC's G Block to promote cycling, it cost the town planning body Rs 6.5 crore. After taking a small ride on the 13-km-long green-painted track, the CM praised the MMRDA for promoting cycling.u00a0
"The MMRDA has done an excellent job by constructing this cycle track. This track of 13 km will now be extended by 3 km. This is a small but important step in reducing carbon emissions as well as promoting sport and health in the city." He added that steps will be taken to create infrastructure for cycling sport in the city.
No, thank you, is the general sentiment among residents and cyclists. Going by their reaction, the admiration had come a tad too early.
MiD DAY's findings
The track's sheen does wear off once one bothers to circumnavigate the track. On Thursday, when we visited it, we found that a little distance away from the track's starting point, the smooth green track with signs at various points gets a little uneven, rough on the surface and scattered with muck and sand.
Cyclists are concerned that the dirt makes the track slippery, which may result in accidents. Moreover, turning corners on the track is tricky - the bends are so sharp that cyclists coming from opposite directions can collide head-on. Kumar Das, who works with a private company at BKC, said, "I feel that the MMRDA has wasted money because at so many places, the track is so uneven that it becomes difficult to travel. Looking at the present status, it appears that it will become a public parking strip and nothing else." He added, "I don't know why the MMRDA has spent Rs 6.5 crore on this stupid project." There was truth in what he said, as this reporter found out when he surveyed the strip.
A parking site?
We had earlier reported about how MMRDA had warned motorists not to park on the track, or strict action will be taken. But its warnings have gone down with them like water off a duck's back. A watchman from one of the buildings in the BKC, on condition of anonymity, said, "If you take a complete round along the cycling track, you will see vehicles parked on it at many places. Four- and two-wheelers stand there for hours. I have yet not seen the traffic police towing them or fining the owners."
When we visited the arc of the track opposite American School, we found cars parked there. Security personnel of some private companies were unaware that it was not really a parking zone. Cyclists were nowhere to be seen. The residents feel that MMRDA has wasted public money. "When you see that hardly any one is riding on the track, you know it is useless. Cyclists ride on the road, mainly because the track is in bad shape," the watchman added.
MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana had extolled the body for completing the project before deadline. He had said, "We are happy with the encouragement given by the CM for extending the track by 3 km. The way we completed the project well within deadline, we will soon take up the extension work. The track would help residents, school children and working people in the BKC." "It appears that his comments are made either without checking the ground reality or because he might have been kept in the dark by the authorities working on the project," a resident said.
The Other Side
Asked why the track was thrown open when a lot of work was actually pending, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas said, "The pending work will be completed soon. Action will be taken against those parking on the track by the MMRDA's estate department." Asked if the CM was aware of this, the official said yes.
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