Mumbai' s Bandra east traffic revamp begins after Garib Nagar demolition drive

Traffic congestion near the railway station in Bandra East, where Mumbai Traffic Police and the Railway Protection Force have launched a drive to tackle bottlenecks, and other issues. Pics/Shadab Khan

Weeks after a five-day demolition drive in Garib Nagar, Bandra East, Mumbai Traffic Police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) have launched a joint operation to streamline traffic movement and clear long-standing bottlenecks around Bandra railway station.

The initiative follows the demolition carried out between May 19 and May 23 and aims to tackle illegal parking, encroachments, abandoned vehicles, and poor traffic flow around one of Mumbai's busiest transit hubs.

Officials told mid-day the focus is on improving access to Bandra station, the bus depot and Bandra Terminus while creating a more organised and commuter-friendly transport zone.

Why Bandra East is a traffic hotspot

According to Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyanarayan Choudhary, the stretch near the SRA office has long functioned as a bottleneck.

Reasons include:

>> Narrow roads
>> High pedestrian movement
>> Bus traffic
>> Autorickshaw movement
>> Private vehicles accessing Bandra station and Bandra Terminus

"All these years the Bandra East exit towards the railway station has been an issue because the road has been very narrow, especially near the SRA Office, where it becomes a bottleneck," Choudhary said.

What has been done so far?

Authorities say the following steps have already been taken:
>> Abandoned vehicles removed
>> Part of the road levelled
>> Space created for an auto-rickshaw lane
>> Debris clearance underway
>> Traffic enforcement increased

What is planned next?
>> Dedicated auto-rickshaw lane
>> Separate bus lane
>> Segregated pedestrian movement
>> Road repairs and levelling
>> Removal of encroachments
>> Action against illegal parking
>> Crackdown on unauthorised auto-rickshaw operations
"We are putting in a lot of efforts to streamline Bandra East's traffic with BMC to remove encroachment, double parking, road levelling and repairs, deployment of police and traffic personnel and enforcement against illegal autos," Choudhary said.

Commuter's view

"The crowd of autos and auto drivers makes it a big task to pass through. I always have to be careful to avoid arguments or uncomfortable situations. If it
gets organised, things would be much easier," said a woman commuter who requested anonymity.

On the ground

During a visit to the site on Friday, debris removal work was underway.
A local resident living near the SRA office said: "Every morning, I have seen trucks come to take the debris out. It doesn't happen during peak rush hours."

Drivers speak

Ravi Valmiki, autorickshaw driver
‘The traffic has, in a way, lessened in the last week. It might also be because a few pedestrians are using the skywalk, reducing traffic on the road. But from 8 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 9 pm, this road is completely packed. A more organised system similar to Bandra's west side could improve conditions.'

Rizwan Ansari, autorickshaw driver
‘According to me, things have gotten a little worse because authorities have put up a grill where we earlier parked autos off the road while waiting for passengers. Now people board and alight on the roadside, which slows traffic.'

At a glance

Location:
Bandra East station precinct

Drive launched by:
>> Mumbai Traffic Police
>> Railway Protection Force (RPF)

Key targets:
>> Encroachments
>> Illegal parking
>> Abandoned vehicles
>> Traffic bottlenecks

Work underway:
>> Debris removal
>> Road levelling
>> Auto-rickshaw lane creation
>> Traffic management planning