Mumbai: Colaba traffic islands to get facelift as project beautification takes off

Rahul Narwekar signals the start of the beautification project. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

The car park at Regal junction in front of the Regal cinema at Colaba was site for a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday. A compact gathering of persons, including some interested drivers peeking out from the parked cars at the roundabout, watched as local leaders signalled project take off. The initiative was a proposed facelift of Regal and Churchgate junction, "to do both, shine the spotlight on some heritage features of the precinct and make it pedestrian-friendly," said corporator Harshita Narwekar.

Harshita added, "While we say Regal and Churchgate, the plan will incorporate all the traffic junctions in this area. We have a tentative timeline of two months." Harshita gestured towards work on at a traffic island just across the Regal parking lot. "The traffic island is being readied for the installation of the model of the INS Vikrant ship, India's gallant warrior of the seas, which is creating a real buzz in this neighbourhood. That feeling of excitement and anticipation should now spill over to this precinct project," she said.

Local speak

Nandita Bedi, a Colaba resident who was present at the ceremony said, "I hope this parking space and the area beyond, which is part of the beautification project is lit up well, this will certainly enhance its appeal." Rekha Dabhi who also lives in the area was enthused by the pedestrian-friendly aspect of the project. "We look forward to better organisation." Marina R said, "The makeover has to be in sync with the times. This parking lot, for instance, will benefit with an EV charging point for Electric Vehicles, helping commuting while combating climate change."

Gul Makhijani claimed, "Heavy tourist traffic, the mix of commercial and residential buildings, makes stretches so challenging to negotiate. Crossing the roads at certain junctures takes a lot of effort. I am particularly interested in the improvisations for pedestrians."

As BJP flags fluttered and the ‘kamal' seemed to bloom in Colaba, the BJP corporator, Harshita Narwekar stated adding to Makhijani's tourists, residents and commercial mix, "The residents here are approximately 13 lakh but add tourists to the mix and you have 48 lakh persons. We need an expert to plan the area and we have got one. Most of all though, we want you, citizens, to be alert and aware of goings-on, even while work is progressing."

Some of the initial proposed designs show ramps, to make it more disabled-friendly, better signage, and more visibility to heritage buildings. Noted urban planner Pankaj Joshi is in charge of designing the plan, said the leaders. Several residents told the BJP leaders that they would like a viewing gallery somewhere, "like the recently opened, beautiful one at Chowpatty."

Political slogans

The MLA Rahul Narwekar then arrived and the slogans rent the air as traffic roared around the roundabout. "Desh ka PM kaisa ho… Narendra Modi jaisa ho…" went the slogan as Narwekar broke the coconut signalling the official beginning of the beautification project.

Narwekar said, "This entire precinct is extremely important and in fact, globally renowned. This is the entry point for so many tourists into the city. Remember, the Gateway of India is just a very short distance away, too. Aesthetics and pedestrian planning will mean a fillip for the area as we begin from here, Regal junction which is Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk."

The leaders thanked former state CM Devendra Fadnavis, "whose intervention and funds have helped get the project rolling. Two years of COVID have been a setback but we have got the show on the road now." Narwekar then shouted along with the supporters, "Jahan ho balidaan Mukherjee, woh Kashmir hamaara hai." Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was opposed to Article 370 seeing it as a threat to national unity. When the Government of India proposed a Constitutional Amendment to repeal Article 370 in 2019, many claimed it was a realisation of what Mukherjee stood for.