22 June,2011 06:30 AM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
After BKC cycling track receives lukewarm response, residents and experts feel a similar track along the multimodal corridor would be a waste of funds
Reports of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) planning to include a cycling track along the proposed 140-km Virar-Alibaug multimodal corridor haven't been well received by residents and infrastructure experts.
A computer image of the proposed 140-km Virar-Alibaug multimodal corridor
Some claim the ambitious plan of the cycling track similar to the one constructed at Bandra-Kurla Complex will be a wasteful expenditure of the taxpayers' money.
In April, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan inaugurated the city's first cycling track, constructed by the MMRDA for Rs 6.5 crore. However, the cycling track constructed to promote cycling as a sport received much criticism. ('MMRDA pulled up for BKC cycling track')
Commenting on the cycling track at BKC, Ramu Thorat, a peon, who cycles his way to office at BKC, said, "I often cycle to work and back home but feel that cycling tracks are of no use most of the times, as four-wheelers are parked on the track and during the rains, the track gets waterlogged.
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Rather than wasting money by constructing a cycling track at BKC, the MMRDA should have constructed the track in a residential area."
When MiD DAY visited the cycling track at BKC it was found that most cyclists still preferred to cycle along the road rather than using the track. Some even said that building the track was a waste of money and that the MMRDA should not implement this project anywhere else.
Divided opinions
Sources in MMRDA told MiD DAY that some of the senior officials were keen on having the cycling track along the Virar-Alibaug multimodal corridor but some were of the opinion that it would be of no use.
MMRDA Joint Project Director Dilip Kawatkar remained tight-lipped and said, "It is true that we have plans to construct the cycling track along the multimodal corridor but it is too early to comment anything about the same as the project is in its planning stage."
Justifying the use of cycling tracks, transport expert Sudhir Badami said, "I don't think the construction of a cycling track will be wastage of the taxpayers' money because having a dedicated lane for cyclists is the need of the future.
Having it along the corridor will be helpful for cyclists to travel from one village to another safely." Badami added, "The track constructed by MMRDA at BKC is a recreational track and it was silly on the MMRDA's part to build one at an industrial location. In the future, the MMRDA should build cycling tracks in residential areas."
The corridor proposed from Diva-Vasai rail line intersection on NH-8 up to Alibaug will cover a distance of about 140 km. The corridor will enable commuters to cover the distance is less than an hour. Currently, all routes take about three to five hours to cover the distance.
The multimodal corridor would provide faster routes for commuters between Gujarat, Mumbai towards Nashik, Pune, Goa Highway, Alibaug and even Navi Mumbai saving time, fuel and pressure on existing roadways.
