Core plan to decongest old city roads

The civic administration is also in the process of appointing a private agency for preparing the core mobility plan for the old city. This will form part of the new development plan and will help in seeking a permanent solution to the congestion on the city roads,PMC development engineer Dinesh Girolla said.

The plan will be prepared after an extensive survey of the area,its geographical,historical importance and use. This will be in addition to the study on the existing traffic flow of private and public transport vehicles on these roads,he said. “The most important thing is that it will form part of the new development plan that is being prepared for the city and this will ensure the effective execution of the plan.”

Sujit Patwardhan,a traffic expert and member of the PMC steering committee for development plan,said the idea of a core mobility plan for the old city jurisdiction emerged during a discussion on promotion of non-motorised transport (NMT) in the city. “If successful,it will achieve the dual purpose of decongesting the crowded roads of the old city and developing the area into a heritage village.”

“Interestingly,it will not put a ban on any vehicles,but provide a practical solution by discouraging drivers to use these roads. This will also help in renewing the old city and developing it into a tourist destination,” Patwardhan said.

The inclusion of the core mobility plan in the development plan will give it a legal status and hence will be easier for execution,he said. “The concept of achieving the dual objective of decongestion of roads and retaining the old city has to be taken to the local public. We are also prepared to help the civic body in its plan through creating public awareness.”

Former assistant director of Town Planning R N Gohad said the narrow roads in the old city cannot carry the increasing traffic load and neither the importance of the main market will ever die down. “It is not possible to alter the old structures along the road sides in the old city area and a mobility plan is the only way out for a permanent solution to the traffic chaos.”

DCP (traffic) Manoj Patil said the mobility plan for the old city was a positive step to decongest the old city roads. “The idea of discouraging vehicles from using the roads in the old city for going to other parts of the city is the only amicable solution. Any effort on those lines will yield results.”