A zebra crossing in Khar that was blocked by a traffic island extending from a Metro pillar was removed minutes after mid-day brought the issue to the attention of the H Ward office and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials on Monday. The obstruction had been inconveniencing pedestrians on Swami Vivekananda Road, a major arterial route stretching nearly 25 kilometres from Bandra to Dahisar in the western suburbs.
The problem area was located at the junction where Khar’s Road Number 2 and Road Number 10 intersect SV Road, where the traffic island or planter linked to Metro Line 2B had been creating hurdles for foot traffic. Replying to the question of why the extension was allowed, the BMC Assistant Commissioner of H West ward, Dinesh Pallewad, said, “The issue is under the jurisdiction of MMRDA [Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority] as they have the possession of the SV Road for the Metro works.”
The protruding traffic island blocking the path of the zebra crossing. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Thermoplasting of the roads is done by the road department agency, however, the curb stones or planters are put up by MMRDA, according to Pallewad. He added, “The MMRDA has also started removing the planters from the site.” This protruding structure had disrupted the zebra crossing at the junction, forcing pedestrians to walk around it.
“I work around here and have to cross the road every day. While the blocked zebra crossing may not seem like a big problem, it pushes us off the designated path and onto the road, which the traffic police disapprove of,” said Meena Matre, who works nearby.
Sudhir Kumar Rai, a watchman from the All Saints restaurant, which is at the junction, said, “Many people step slightly onto the road to avoid the extended planter and the curved path they’re forced to take if they stick to the zebra crossing. I’ve even seen kids running to avoid getting caught between moving vehicles,” said Rai. He added that many children use the junction daily, making it all the more important for it to have proper safety features like a continuous and accessible zebra crossing.
The junction just after this one, heading towards Bandra, has a continuous zebra crossing without any protrusions, unlike the one currently causing concern. This has left local residents questioning the inconsistency.
“I teach my kids to always use the zebra crossing and never jaywalk. But in this case, how can they follow those safety rules? If other junctions have a proper, continuous crossing, why can’t we have the same, either slightly ahead of the planter or by removing it altogether?” asked a resident who lives right by the road, requesting anonymity.
Walking Project, a group that advocates for better pedestrian infrastructure, has also taken note of the issue along SV Road. Rishi Agarwal, the convenor, said, “Blockages like these right in the middle of zebra crossings are completely wrong, it shows a clear disregard for pedestrian needs.”
He explained that such turns should be equipped with bollards to prevent vehicles from taking U-turns over the crossing lines. Agarwal added, “If the protrusion was meant to serve as a traffic island, its height should be around four to six inches low and surmountable. What we currently see is a structure that reaches knee height, turning it into a complete obstruction.”
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The MMRDA, which is responsible for constructing Metro Line 2B and installing the beautification planters around its pillars, was unavailable for comment till press time when contacted by mid-day on Monday.
When this newspaper reached out to the Mumbai traffic police, officials said the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the H West ward of the BMC. However, attempts to contact the ward office also did not yield any results till the time of going to press.
