Installing the noise barriers across the city will involve digging on the flyovers and lead to traffic snarls
Installing the noise barriers across the city will involve digging on the flyovers and lead to traffic snarls
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has come up with a novel idea to install noise barriers on all flyovers across the city.
However, the process of installing these barriers may cause far more inconvenience to motorists than thought earlier. The authorities will have to stall traffic lanes on the flyovers in order to dig and install the devices, which in turn will lead to bottlenecks and jams.
In a meeting that took place last week, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had approved the installation of noise barriers on all the roads and flyovers constructed by MMRDA after the success of the noise barriers in Bandra-Kurla Complex. Joint Project Director of MMRDA Dilip Kawatkar said, "The decision of installing noise barriers on various flyovers in Mumbai was only taken after our pilot project at Bandra-Kurla-Complex (BKC) proved successful. Before noise barriers were installed at BKC, the sound level was between 60-90 decibel, but now it has gone down to 50-55 during the day and well below 45 during the night."
Commenting on MMRDA's decision of installing noise barriers on flyovers and roads, transport expert Jitendra Gupta said, "Before starting the actual work of installing barriers on flyovers and roads in Mumbai, MMRDA should take public opinion in consideration as it is going to cause inconvenience to motorists because of the digging work."
Another transport expert, added, "If MMRDA is planning to install noise barriers, it should ensure that they are not installed during peak hours." Meanwhile, a senior traffic police official explained that the installation is a flaw in the authorities' planning. "MMRDA should have installed the barriers while constructing the flyover.
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Mounting them now will increase inconvenience to motorists.
"MMRDA should plan projects thinking of noise barriers as it only adds 5 per cent cost to the project, but planning it in a later stage will only compound the cost."
Silence please!
>>u00a0In the first phase of the project the flyovers that will be provided with the noise barriers are the ones at Sion Hospital Junction, Hindmata junction, Thakur Complex, Malad junction, Santacruz Airport junction, Navaghar Junction and Dindoshi junction which have already been thrown open to traffic.
>>u00a0The second phase of the project will see installation of noise barriers on flyovers at King's Circle-Tulpule Chowk, Lalbaug Junction, Barfiwala Junction and Suman Nagar junction, which are under construction and heading towards completion.
>>u00a0The Milan Rail Over Bridge and the Sahar Elevated Road will also be provided with the noise barriers.
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