I Object - Mr Naseem Khan

I read these article - http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/State-mulls-elevated-road-on-Sion-Mulund-LBS-Road/Article1-766636.aspx and this was reported in the TOI too here - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-09/mumbai/30377141_1_religious-structures-metro-project-mumbai-metro

Mr Naseem Khan, the guardian minister for Mumbai has made this outrageous and most stupid demand of building an elevated road over the LBS road from Sion to Mulund.

I would like to ask the minister whether he has really been to LBS road to study / watch the hurdles and then decided that an elevated road is the best solution ?

I OBJECT !

I agree that the road is congested and there is hardly place for people to move alongwith the various vehicles plying on the road from morning to night.

A few simple steps will solve a lot of big problems on that road -

1) Get rid of the hawkers on the pavements.

2) Build smooth pavements for people to walk on (no hawkers , no potholes)

3) Fence in the pavement so that people do not spill onto the road.

4) Make FOB's / zebra crossings for people to cross. If they do not use it - and prefer crossing the roads while jay walking, make it clear to them that in case of an accident, the vehicle owner is not responsible.

5) For old people, give them the facility of elevators / lifts on the FOB's.

6) Remove all the auto rickshaw and taxi stands from the LBS road. Shift them to by-lanes.

7) Remove and destroy the illegal extensions of shops that spill over to the footpath / roads.

8) Get the BEST bus drivers to stop at the designated bus stop and not in the middle of the lane.

9) People should also behave like humans and not animals when boarding and alighting the buses. Haven't they heard of a queue system ?

10 ) All the auto rickshaw and taxi stands near the railway stations should have dedicated stands. Any taxi or rickshaw operating out of that should be fined or the vehicle confiscated.

11) Ensure that the traffic cops work to improve the traffic flow and not the money flow to their pockets.

12) If possible, try and synchronise signals to ease traffic pile-up.

13) Ensure that only the authorised / valid auto rickshaw and taxis are allowed to ply.

14) Instill some pride in your work force (BMC, Traffic police, BEST, auto rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers) to work for the betterment of the community - after all it will be beneficial for them too.

These small changes will give you big benefits with a very small amount of people taxes used for these.

Do you have the inclination to do this, Mr Minister ?
Are you ready to let go of the kick backs that you will receive from the elevated road project ?
Are you ready to take the action against the auto rickshaw and taxi drivers who consist of the majority vote bank of your area, Chandivali ?
Are you ready to give in writing under oath that you will ensure the completion of the project in the stipulated time ?
Will you make sure that motorists and people traveling on LBS road during the elevated road construction will not at all be troubled by the construction ?

If you are serious about taking care of this city, I suggest you start with your area.

1) A 50 meter stretch of Nahar Amrit Shakti road is left for concretising for the last 2 years ? can you explain the delay ?? Every morning, there are jams and frustrated people going to work from that junction - what are doing about that ?

2) The ROB to be built over the tracks at Kanjur Marg (on JVLR) is lying incomplete for the last 7 years - why don't you ensure that it is completed in record time - saving a lot of frustration for people traveling on that road morning and evening ?

3) The Auto rickshaw drivers in Chandivali are rude and refuse to ferry passengers for short distances even with tampered meters - what are you doing about this ?