The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has decided to develop traffic islands at eight more junctions in the city on a public private partnership (PPP) mode for traffic management and beautification of city roads. At a meeting held Saturday, the standing committee of the RMC approved a proposal to develop two traffic islands in the east zone, one in the central zone and five in the west zone on PPP mode. The traffic junctions identified for development of traffic islands include Pedak Chowk on Pedak Road, Panch Rasta Circle on Swaitpark Main Road, Astron Chowk, Raiya Chowk, Govardhan Chowk, Mahapujadham Chowk Jaddu’s Food Field Chowk on Kalavad Road and Mokaji Circle on Nanamava Road. Three other junctions — Ahir Circle on Nehrunagar 80 feet road, Satellite Chowk on Morbi Road and one near Sadhu Vasvani Kunj Road did not attract any bids from private parties for development. The private developers of traffic circles get space on the traffic islands they develop for promotional activities. VJ Modi School has bagged the rights for developing Pedak Chowk and Raiya Chowk by offering the highest amount of annual premium — Rs 80,000 and Rs 1.60 lakh respectively to the RMC. It also bid for Astron Chowk and Govardhan Chowk junctions but was outbid by Dekivadiya Hospital that offered an annual premium worth Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 1.35 lakh respectively against the private school’s Rs 1.10 lakh each. For Panch Rasta Circle, Rolex Rings Limited, a well-known rolled ring manufacturer of the city, was the lone bidder who offered Rs 20,000 to RMC towards annual premium for getting rights to develop a traffic island. Likewise, VJ Modi School was the sole bidder for Pedak Chowk junction. PP Developers have won the rights for developing a traffic circle under a flyover bridge near Jaddu’s Food Field and Mokaji Circle by offering annual premium worth Rs 1.65 lakh and Rs 2.10 lakh respectively, RMC records show. A private hospital quoted Rs 1.77 annual premium payable to RMC for winning rights to develop Mahapujadham Chowk traffic island. The standing committee approved the proposal to sign the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with these private parties for developing traffic islands at these traffic junctions at their own costs and manage and maintain them for the next five years, while paying an annual premium to the civic body.
