Indian Express 9.09.2009

To decongest roads, BMC comes up with cycle-track plan

In a city with more than 17 lakh vehicles congesting roads and the number rising at 5.10 per cent annually, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is hoping to offer some relief by introducing localised bicycle tracks for covering shorter distances.

Not discouraged by the failure of a similar project in neighbouring Thane, the civic administration wants to encourage cycling as an alternative mode of transportation. Also on the cards is a redesigning of all major traffic junctions for smoother traffic movement once the cycle lanes come up.

The BMC is in the process of finalising a consultant to study the concept alongside an areawise traffic management plan. About 10 firms having international partners are willing to study the proposal. The report should be ready in a year, said officials.

“There is a need for redesigning traffic junctions, as there are conflicting movements that hamper the flow resulting in snarls. Obstructions like right-turns at junctions and the possibility of making certain roads one-way will be looked into and implemented after the study,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner R A Rajeev.

With temporary traffic diversions in Mumbai resulting in stiff opposition from commuters, as evident when the arterial Peddar Road had been turned into a one-way lane in April, the civic officials feel the need for a long-term plan. So all traffic junctions across the island city, eastern and western suburbs will be studied and an area-wise local traffic management plan prepared with the help of the traffic police, MMRDA, MSRDC and PWD.

Consultants will also study where to create cycle tracks that many residential groups and activists have been demanding. Officials said these tracks will most probably be around neighbourhoods like Malabar Hill, Juhu, Lokhandwala Complex, Carter Road, etc.

“We want to give cyclists dedicated lanes so that they can use them for short-distance commuting. At points like railway stations, we may provide them with facilities to park bicycles,” Rajeev said.

In Thane, a cycle track had been developed six years back in Wagle Estate area. It is now lying unused and has been encroached upon.

Hemant Chhabra of the Bicycle Project, an NGO that promotes use of cycles by donating old ones to poor schoolstudents, welcomed the proposal. “Air pollution is getting worse due to four-wheeler and two-wheelers. We need to tell people to use bicycles,” he said.

Indian Express 9.09.2009

5 fountains in state of neglect, MC plans one for each Chandigarh ward

Despite the Municipal Corporation not being able to maintain the five fountains recently installed in the city, the civic plans to install such fountains in every ward of the city.

Councillors say the idea of city beautification should not be restricted to just a few wards. It, they add, should be extended to the entire city.

The MC has already spent around Rs 20 lakh each on the five fountains installed in three wards. The cost of installing these fountains in the remaining 23 wards would be around Rs 4 crore.

This, when the existing fountains are often out of order.

The fountain in Sector 46 was non-functional till the beginning of this week. And others installed in sectors 27 and 28 were non-functional for around a fortnight. They were repaired after the issue was taken up in the House.

"Around Rs 22 lakh was spent in installing a fountain in Sector 46. It remained defunct for more than a week after some parts were stolen. If the MC cannot maintain these fountains, there is no point installing more," councillor Ravinder Pal Singh says. "If the councillors demand that these fountains be installed in their wards too, the officials should tell them the pros and cons," he adds. "A fence should be put around the fountains to prevent thefts. And the maintenance contract should be increased to five years instead of one."

The decision to install these fountains was taken last year to beautify the green belts. These were installed in sectors 27, 28, 46 and 22. Apart from those in Sector 22, others haven't been functioning properly -- one reason is the theft of various parts.

Fountains in sectors 27 and 28 were installed around six months ago. Area councillor Devinder Singh Babla says the fountains remain defunct most of the time. "It was only after I raised the issue in the House that they were repaired. When such a large amount is being spent on these fountains, care should be taken to maintain them," he says.

Mayor Kamlesh, on the other hand, has suggested that stone fountains be installed. She said the cost of installing and maintaining them would be less.

MC's constant headache: thefts
The Municipal Corporation usually faces the problem of items being stolen from parks and green belts. Items like railings and benches frequently become the target of thieves. The thefts are more frequent in gardens and green belts near the colonies. A complaint has been given to the police, but these items continue to be stolen.