Criticism about how bridges and flyovers are being built undermines the intelligence behind our infrastructure
The Mira Road flyover abruptly changes from a four-lane structure to a two-lane one. PIC/x/TanishYadav31_
No one who has read this column before can accuse me of not being a huge supporter of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). I can’t tell you exactly what they do (despite the many accomplishments to be found on their website after one scrolls past a photograph of the Commissioner), but a section on ‘plans’ has a long list of ‘development plans’ which can only be a good thing for everyone. There don’t seem to be too many of these plans made after 2019, but that is probably because the person tasked with updating the website has been forced to fight trolls on Instagram or Twitter.
As a firm believer in the intelligence that drives every decision made by the MMRDA when it comes to turning Bombay into a world-class city, I have always looked at everything they do with fondness and appreciation. This is why the jokes about a recent flyover built by them annoyed me. Citizens from across Bombay and outside joined in to condemn the abrupt turning of a four-lane flyover into a two-lane one. There was an attempt made to explain the rationale behind this design, but it was quickly buried under memes about incompetence, which compelled me to address the episode.
Here’s what we just don’t realise: when it comes to connectivity—specifically the notion of how infrastructure should make it easier for people to get from one point to another—no one does it better than the people in charge of Bombay’s roads. This starts to become obvious the minute a traveller gets out of our similarly named airports (a touch of genius that is also often ignored) and is confronted with multiple ways and means of heading out. This holds true even if you arrive by train, because every one of our railway and Metro stations is constructed in a way that offers travellers seamless connections to the next stages of their journeys. It’s why everyone who opts for public transport is always happy around here.
The people at the MMRDA can never be accused of complacency, either, which is another mark of their dedication. Any other government body would have sat back and taken it easy after offering citizens the best roads in the country, but they keep pushing for new and innovative approaches, such as the pod taxi project that is set to transform BKC by the end of the following year. I have written about that in the past and look forward to the happiness on the faces of commuters in that part of the city soon.
As for the flyover that is currently an object of ridicule, I would like to point out that there are a hundred instances of how Bombay’s flyovers are world-class. If they weren’t, we would have struggled with traffic, which is never the case. In fact, while other major cities have to contend with rush hour, Bombay doesn’t even know what that means any longer, given how traffic is the same no matter if one steps out at 8 am or 8 pm. That sort of consistency can’t be sneered at, and we should start being a little more grateful for what we have been given in exchange for our taxes.
Don’t take my word for it, though. Another way of recognising the intelligence that drives development in this city is to spend a little time on the MMRDA website. Consider, for instance, the page titled ‘Iconic Worli’ that sets out in some detail how this area is set to undergo massive transformation. Here is a quote from the page: ‘Utilise the Worli Dairy plots for generating revenue by executing Iconic project, which will generate employment opportunity and assist economic growth of Mumbai. MMRDA shall use this revenue for implementing vital infrastructure projects [sic].’ How can anyone look at this and not be reassured that Bombay is in safe hands?
I think the only thing MMRDA is doing wrong is not investing in a great PR agency. All the Commissioner needs to do is put out photographs of himself doing yoga, inaugurating a highway, posing with exotic birds, maybe even frolicking with a few cows at Aarey. That sort of thing tends to get a lot of positive attention in newspapers and TV channels these days. Given that the tactic has been used by several politicians who have been complete failures at their jobs, it can only generate immense goodwill for an agency that has such a long list of successes to its name.
When he isn’t ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira
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The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper.
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