Construction debris piled on footpaths make it difficult for pedestrians to negotiate their city; BMC lackadaisical about penalising offenders
Construction debris piled on footpaths make it difficult for pedestrians to negotiate their city; BMC lackadaisical about penalising offenders
The Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) report on the roads and footpaths of Mumbai may have come out in 2009, but the guidelines laid down by it are still being flouted blatantly, with builders dumping construction material on Mumbai'su00a0 footpaths. According to the report, all surplus dug up earth should be carted away within 24 hours of digging and proper diversion arrangements for vehicular and pedestrian traffic should be in place before any digging activity is begun.
A footpath on Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, is strewn with paver
blocks and construction debris. Pic/Satyajit Desai
However, residents of the suburbs and Lower Parel say these rules are not being followed, as construction material and debris blocks footpaths in their localities, making it difficult to walk on them. This also affects vehicular traffic resulting in jams.
Minal Budhrani, resident of Road 29, Bandra said, "Ideally, we should be told of the date of completion of the construction work. The contractors instead complete the work at their own leisure." Kurla resident Govind Shetty said, "I am learning how to drive and since the footpaths in my locality are dug up, people walk on the road, which puts them at risk of accidents."
Andheri resident Aparna Saboo pointed out that the footpath is not accessible to those who need it the most. "A person with crutches cannot walk on the rubble, can he? Nor are proper barricades used to warn people about construction work."
Jeetendra Gupta, a member of Road Transport Committee said this was a case of negligence on the part of all authorities concerned. "There should be a board at the venue of each construction, indicating the work being done, date of beginning, date of completion and the contractor's contact details. In most cases, the board is not present. The contractor is required to pay a fine if he doesn't complete the work within the stipulated time, but few people are aware of this rule."
"Water should be sprinkled properly on the road so that the mud settles. The debris should be disposed off immediately. If these rules are not followed, the BMC should penalise the contractor. But that is seldom done," he added.
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