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In a significant breakthrough, a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has played a pivotal role in empowering the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to address long-standing traffic congestion issues on the Swami Vivekananda Road (SV Road) in Malad. The economic impact analysis conducted by IIT Bombay demonstrated that the economic toll of traffic congestion far exceeded the costs associated with rehabilitating structures impeding road-widening efforts. This financial justification allowed the BMC to expedite the removal and relocation of 328 structures obstructing a crucial 2.4 km stretch of SV Road in Malad and Kandivali.
For nearly three decades, civic authorities struggled to widen SV Road, a vital motorway connecting Bandra to Borivali. Despite being envisioned as a 90-feet wide road, the stretch was hindered by commercial and residential buildings, as well as numerous encroachments, making it a bottleneck for commuters.
The IIT Bombay study encompassed a 12-hour traffic survey of SV Road and surrounding interior roads, evaluating economic, environmental, and social costs associated with congestion.
It quantified congestion costs at 1.26 times the compensation expenses, provided the necessary impetus to fast-track the process of removing these obstacles and enhancing the thoroughfare, ultimately reducing commute times for the public.
Armed with this data, Dighavkar initiated a series of meetings with public representatives, landlords, tenants, and residents to navigate the complexities of relocation and compensation. Many opted for compensation, which the BMC promptly disbursed, amounting to Rs 30 crore, along with providing 191 tenements and shops to the affected parties.
Assistant Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar highlighted the challenges faced during the road-widening project, citing the presence of shops predating 1962-63, tenanted structures with multiple landlords, a strategically located building called Jugal-Kishore, and various other establishments like an Adani sub-station, a Dargah, a police residential quarters, and a Shankar Mandir.
The positive outcomes of this endeavor were evident as SV Road in the Goregaon-Kandivali stretch expanded from 5 to 45 feet, reaching its originally proposed width of 90 feet. Those who chose rehabilitation were provided tenements, while monetary compensation ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh was granted to others. The road widening initiative has significantly improved average speeds on arterial roads in the western suburbs, bringing relief to commuters, especially in the Goregaon-Kandivali belt.
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