BMC halts work at Peddar Road

Chaos continued on this 3-lane road with traffic jams affecting neighbouring areas of Altamount Road, Warden Road and Nepean Sea Road.

Traffic chaos on Peddar Road forced BMC to halt work in the area.

Chaos continued on this 3-lane road with traffic jams affecting neighbouring areas of Altamount Road, Warden Road and Nepean Sea Road.

Traffic has been moving at snail's pace after BMC started work on Peddar Road. Pic/Atul Kamble

Due commuters and political pressure, the expansion of storm water drains undertaken by BMC was put on hold. The laying of gas pipeline by Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) is also expected to be stopped on Tuesday.

Peddar Road was being piped from both the sides, completely dissecting the road, since March 29. After a day long meeting, the BMC decided to stall work and refill the dug portion within a week.

The Traffic Police will now decide on an alternate route to ease traffic rues. The new route will be decided in three days and submit it to the BMC.

South Mumbai MP Milind Deora said, "I had a conversation with Sanjay Barve (Traffic Commissioner) after people presented their grievances to me. Barve assured me that things will be back to normal until they find a solution to deal with sewer problem."

The work on Peddar Road is likely to resume soon as it has to be completed before monsoon.

Veena Singhal, Chairperson, Peddar Road Residents Association (PRRA) said, "If this work stops, then it will not be good for Peddar Road, especially during monsoon. What if the sewer line breaks open due to heavy rains?"

MGL is laying steel pipeline through Peddar Road which will supply cooking gas to Tardeo, Peddar Road, Marine Lines, Cuffe Parade, Mantralaya and Colaba.

Neera Asthana, spokesperson, MGL said, "We have taken permission from the traffic police and will complete work in phased manner but a time limit cannot be set."

MGL is set to meet BMC officials to decide over the issue.

Commuters complain

The traffic jams resulted for motorists who spent nearly one-and-half hours from Peddar Road to Churchgate, which otherwise takes around 20 minutes.

Devika Patel of Peddar Road said, "I made a mistake by driving to the bank which is just few minutes away from my house. But it took me 20 minutes. Even traffic cops were confused in letting."

Many residents in the area decided to return home than face the ordeal.

Urvashi Modi, who owns a shop at Atria Mall in Worli said, "Today the traffic was so chaotic and slow-paced that I decided to go back home."

Another traveller on the same route said, "The situation was so bad that I had to man the traffic after getting down from my car."