Riverside Road gets HC's green signal

Eight years after a PIL was filed opposing the civic body's plan to connect the Mutha Riverside Road to the adjoining DP Road at Mhatre Bridge, the PMC has been given the green signal to commence work on the road that has been mired with pitfalls.

After receiving the nod from the High Court, PMC has decided to start work by the month-end after completing the survey and feasibility report. The contentious road stretches from the Jayantrao Tilak Bridge to Mhatre Bridge on Karve Road, and the linking work was held up since there was no further access to connect the DP Road near the Mhatre Bridge due to objections from city environmentalists.

"The civic body received the go ahead from the Bombay High Court and the hurdle has been overcome," said Manjusha Idhate, legal consultant, PMC. Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak along with PMC engineers visited the spot two days ago and discussed the issue with local corporators.

Pramod Nirbhawane, additional city engineer (Road), PMC, said, "We are studying the location and survey work will be conducted by engineers in the next 15 days. The decision to construct the road will be taken after assessing the feasibility of the site."

Anil Rane, corporator, MNS, who presented the municipal commissioner with a technical map, said, "This map will be useful for the PMC to construct the road. A wrongly constructed filtration plant on one side of the bridge was obstructing work. But the new map will solve the problem by directly joining DP Road to the riverside road. some 40,000 bikers who use this road would benefit if the road is linked."

Mukund Shinde, landowner near the Mhatre Bridge, said, "If my land gets a proper return of Transferable Development Rights from the PMC, I am ready to compromise. PMC has asked me to give two acres of my land, which was under cultivation."

Using it as a short cut to go to Sinhagad Road, Karve Nagar and Kothrud, bikers use the 1.5-km long Mutha riverside road daily. The road witnesses heavy traffic especially during peak hours. "This road would reduce travel time by 20 minutes," said Jagdish Mate, a bike rider from Hingne Budruk. u00a0