Mumbai cops make modifications to ease traffic outside Mahalaxmi station

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“A southbound motorist on E Moses Road would take at least 20 minutes to cross the signal. The wait used to seem endless especially during peak traffic hours. At times the backlog of the traffic here would be affected all the way to Worli naka or even on Dr Anandrao Nair Marg, which further leads to saat Raasta circle,” said a senior traffic officer.

The resolutions, the traffic department has arrived at include an additional lane demarcated by cones on the northbound road of the bridge, which multiplies the number of vehicles that pass by the signal at one time. The other key decision is it to block the right turn for northbound motorists towards Saat Rasta Junction at the bridge.

“The motorists, including the buses have to take the U-turn from the Senapati Bapat Marg juncture .It might be perceived as inconvenient but it is not, the vehicles are moving faster. One major benefit out of this detour is the is reduction in conflicts between pedestrians and motorists,” said Anil Kumbhare, deputy commissioner of traffic police (south).

A senior traffic officer attached with the Nagpade traffic division said that there are at least four of his officers deployed at the junction to manage the traffic, however, they also multi-task in breaking up fights.

“On a daily basis over a dozen fights break out at the crossing. Pedestrians do not wait for their signal because it is a very long wait. Most of them jump in front of running cars. Our officers are also exposed to the frustration of the numerous motorists,” said the senior official citing a recent incident on the evening of March 12, where a 25-year-old abused and spat on a woman traffic warden and threatened to throw her from the bridge. The warden stopped him at the junction as he was riding on the wrong side of the road.

“Plenty of serious recommendations have been made in the past. One vital suggestion, which was not approved by the BMC was to widen the road of the bridge by reducing the size of the footpaths. However, the civic authorities said the bridge is old and could not be altered,” said another senior traffic police officer.

As part of BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta and former Mumbai police commissioner Ahmad Javed’s joint effort to unclog the city, the duo had also surveyed the junction and found that the northbound road below the bridge could be used. The identified road been encroached by more than 70 settlements, which were demolished early this year and road was repaired for operations to ease traffic above, officials said.

“During survey runs, we also found that locals hailed cabs from the junction. We first moved the taxi stand to below the bridge and tried developing a dependence of the city dweller on buses,” an officer said.

“We prepare a time schedule for our buses and conduct trials ourselves. During peak hours we know we have to curtail the frequency of buses. On the Mahalaxmi bridge route the same was applicable, however, with the traffic operations smoother our on-time performance has considerably improved,” a BEST spokesperson said.