Parking makes way for cycling track at BKC

What looks like a welcome contribution to the war on global warming in the city, may have created some warm weather for the enthusiastic officials behind the effort.

Parking makes way for cycling track at BKC

What looks like a welcome contribution to the war on global warming in the city, may have created some warm weather for the enthusiastic officials behind the effort.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) may have irked motorists frequenting the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), by restricting car parking on the roads in BKC, in lieu of the cycling track currently being developed.

Robin Potbhare (27), a marketing executive said that the move would cause much inconvenience to him and many others like him, since his job entails a lot of movement.

'Bad idea'

"I have to travel from one place to another and am constantly on the move.
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I visit BKC regularly for professional purposes and if parking is disallowed, then I will have to park outside the main area and walk a good distance, which would again be pointless. I hope they provide some alternative," he said.
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Sanchit Srivastav (25), who often drives to BKC on work, said, "What is the point of having such wide roads in BKC and then disallowing one from parking their car?
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Just because they are providing cycle tracks does not mean that the streets should be off-limits for parking. They should provide us with some alternative since they are the leading urban infrastructure body in the state."

This decision had come through during MMRDA's Core Group on December 13 last year (MiD DAY has a copy of the minutes of the meeting).

Authorities are currently in the process of developing a cycling track - the first of its kind - in the city, in a bid to combat global warming and reduce fuel emissions.

The cycle track plan is part of a larger project undertaking by MMRDA, to upgrade the infrastructure and develop BKC into a leading commercial and corporate hub.

MMRDA has erected sound barriers from the Kalanagar Junction to the Income Tax building, to reduce noise pollution caused by vehicular traffic.

It is also in the process of developing a state-of-the-art food court near the Asian Heart Institute to cater to over 3 lakh people working in the complex.

MMRDA also proposes to introduce battery-powered buses and the hi-tech Personal Rapid Transit System (PRTS) or 'Pod' transport.u00a0

The Other Side
MMRDA's Joint Project Director (PR) Dilip Kawathkar said that he was not aware of any discontent among motorists at the Bandra Kurla Complex, but added that the MMRDA would, if requested, consider the same and make alternative parking arrangements. "We are even ready to meet them personally and redress their grievances if they approach us with such an agenda," he said.