FPJ Impact: Activists Demand Action From CM Eknath Shinde After Coastal Road Construction Neglects Walkers' Plight At Marine Drive

After the Free Press Journal last month highlighted the issue about lack of pedestrian crossings at Marine Drive near the coastal road, social activists have written to the Maharashtra chief minister alleging that the safety of pedestrians has been ignored and has demanded appropriate actions against pedestrians' plight.

In June, the Free Press Journal had reported about the strange issue  faced by the pedestrians at Marine Drive after the construction of the coastal road. With new attractive railings on the dividers and no crossings available to cross the road, pedestrians have to walk kilometres to reach the other end of the road, which is only a few metres away. This has cropped up as a major issue for senior citizens crossing the road to reach the bus stops.

After FPJ’s report about the lapse in infrastructure planning, social activists have written to the CM highlighting the issue and demanding solutions. Nicholas Almeida, Godfrey Pimenta, Vivian D’Souza and Rita D'Sa of the Watchdog Foundation have written to the CM alleging that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation spent thousands of crores on building the Coastal Road but has neglected pedestrian safety.

The letter cites fatal accidents that have occurred in the past at Marine Drive including the death of a 55-year-old businessman in September 2018 after being run over by a speeding car, death of a well-known hotelier’s son in May 2020 after a speeding car collided with a stationary bus and the recent case of Mihir Shah, who knocked down Kaveri Nakhwa.

As mentioned in FPJ’s report, the activists also highlighted that people can cross the road near the Pransukhlal Mafatlal Swimming Pool at Chowpatty and the next crossing is available only after 1.5 kilometres near Churchgate F Road. It also highlighted that the new railings have caused a risk of accidents as people jump over them to cross the road.

The Watchdog Foundation has demanded that the BMC should immediately inspect the area, particularly on weekends, to understand the pedestrians' plight and take appropriate measures for their safety.

“According to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, formal mid-block pedestrian crossings should be provided at regular intervals at least every 200 m to ensure pedestrian safety. However, we regret to note that there are not enough zebra crossings on Marine Drive, increasing the risk of accidents as many pedestrians are seen jumping or crossing the railings on the median,” said Pimenta, founder of Watchdog Foundation.