Mumbai: Traffic congestion and parking woes in Bandra’s prominent shopping hub Linking Road could soon be resolved as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started work on building a three-tier parking lot below the Patwardhan Garden, which is located off Linking Road. Though initially the parking lot was meant to accommodate 70 cars, according to sources, the finalised plan will accommodate larger vehicles like buses and trucks too. Confirming the development, Sharad Ughade, ward officer, H-West ward, said that the project and details would be announced soon.
In October last year, the BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta had commissioned the municipal architects to prepare a plan that would ensure that the parking lot under the garden could be built without affecting the soil and green cover of the garden. The idea was mooted at the instance of the residents as well as the growing need to decongest the arterial road.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had mooted the idea of constructing parking lots across the city in 2011 to take care of parking problems and had asked the civic corporation to give suggestions for the same after consulting with the traffic department.
Sanjeev Soni, who lives close to the garden, said, “The area gets congested due to illegal parking in the day. Visitors to the area and shoppers tend to park their vehicles not only in the adjacent lanes but also cause a lot of inconvenience to the residents. Hence there was a urgent need for a parking facility.” He however added that the underground parking facility below the garden should not be at the cost of the soil and green cover and the local residents would be overseeing the same whenever it started. Stall owners at Linking Road also welcomed the development and said that it would help ease traffic and be a boon for them.
Mr Ughade said the civic body was in the process of implementing many initiatives at Linking Road. “The plan for the three-tier parking lot is ready and will be announced soon,” said Mr Ughade, who is also the assistant municipal commissioner.
