The stretch of road in Juhu that is to be Mumbai's only cycle track is already attracting criticism from various quarters. BMC officials believe the track may come in the way of cleaning the Irla nullah, which often overflows during the monsoon and leads to flooding in Juhu.
The stretch of road in Juhu that is to be Mumbai's only cycle track is already attracting criticism from various quarters. BMC officials believe the track may come in the way of cleaning the Irla nullah, which often overflows during the monsoon and leads to flooding in Juhu.u00a0u00a0
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STOPPED IN ITS TRACK: The Irla nullah often overflows during monsoon causing flooding in Juhu. File pic |
"The cycle track project is not feasible. This is borne by the consultancy and technical reports of the BMC on drainage. The BRIMSTOWAD envisages a clear road on the spot, which will be used for cleaning and maintenance of the nullah," said a senior BMC official. The BRIMSTOWAD project aims to overhaul Mumbai's outdated and overburdened drainage system.u00a0
The widening and deepening of the Juhu to Milan Subway stretch of the Irla nullah is currently underway under the BRIMSTOWAD project.
Adolf D'Souza, corporator from the area where the cycling track is to come up, rubbished the opposition to the cycling track project. "The cycling track is a part of our master plan for Juhu.
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BRIMSTOWAD wants the road to be kept open. But isn't it better to have a track than have encroachers grabbing the space? Moreover, we can keep the track closed in the two months before the monsoons when the nullah is cleaned," said D'Souza.u00a0
P K Das, an architect and a Juhu resident, who ideated the cycling track project and is also designing it, said, "The cycling track will expand green space for Mumbai's citizens, reduce the number of vehicles on the road and lower pollution."
The plan awaits the municipal commissioner's approval.
Rs 9.06 cr The amount allotted for the improvement of the Irla nullah in new BMC budgetu00a0
Track record >> 2 metres: The breath of the paver block cycle track to be developed along the Irla nullah
>> Rs 5 crore: Amount earmarked by the BMC in the 2009-10 budget for the cycling track
>> 2: The number of railings on both sides of the cycling track
>> 10 km: The proposed length of the cycling track from Irla nullah to Milan Subway
