Mumbai: The heritage precincts of Mumbai and some prominent areas of the island city are set to get a facelift this year. At a meeting between the city's guardian minister, Aslam Shaikh, and senior officials of civic body, on Tuesday, it was decided that throughout the year, various developmental projects would be carried out for the beautification of the city.
One such proposal is to implement a Tokyo style 'area traffic controlled' (ATC) signal system throughout the city. The current application software, on which the traffic signal system operates, was last updated a decade ago. Presently, most signals are manual. Under the new system, the signals on city roads will be upgraded so that they can be operated automatically, by auto-analysing the traffic.
Sources in the BMC said, the traffic system would be implemented bearing in mind the heavy traffic zones of the city, including Worli, Girgaum and Haji Ali. Apart from decongesting the roads, the smart signal system may also play a key role in reducing the number of road accidents in Mumbai.
Similar to the proposed technology, in the first week of January, a specialised traffic signal system was installed as a pilot project at Worli. The new system makes for improved visibility, as compared to the usual set-up.
A senior official of the civic roads department said, "Alongside beautifying the roads, a key motive will be the implementation of smart technology and proper usage of roadspace."
Besides the upgraded traffic signal system, a proposal for the construction of five new roads, two new flyovers and four sideways were also discussed in the meeting
"The developmental works will be carried out in a phased manner, as key areas of the city have been earmarked for beautification. Alongside the municipal funds, CSR funds will also be used to carry out the developmental works," Shaikh stated.
"Mumbai is the financial capital and people from different parts of the country visit our city; accordingly, an immediate face-lift of the city is necessary," the guardian minister said.
In order to boost tourism, open spaces adjoining some prominent areas of south Mumbai will also be beautified.
A senior official present at the meeting informed, open spaces outside some important railway stations like Churchgate and CSMT would also be beautified, by renovating the footpaths and designing the walls. Murals too are in the works. A fund of Rs 30 crore has been announced for D ward alone, which covers areas like Malabar Hill, Breach Candy and Haji Ali.
"The key emphasis will be on further beautifying tourist destinations, which record a heavy influx of tourists throughout the year," the official added.
