The residents of Matunga are up in arms over a proposal from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to erect a mechanical stack parking system in front of Matunga railway station on the Central Side.
According to Satish Nayak, who is spearheading the campaign, the car park will have two wings one with 23 floors and the other with 12 floors with a capacity to park 546 vehicles.
Locals write to corporator seeking intervention
The area is heavily congested with scores of illegal vegetable vendors who conduct business on the arterial Lakhamsi Napoo Road despite the fact that they have been allotted space at the nearby Lal Bahadur Shastri market. They have written a letter to the local corporator of the BJP, Nehal Shah, seeking her intervention.
The citizens of the locality have raised objections to the construction stating that the proposed car park will obstruct the movement of ambulances in the event of a railway accident.
The Bombay High Court had mandated that ambulance service be provided at all railway stations following a PIL filed by Samir Jhaveri, a railway accident victim.
Local shopkeepers say heightened congestion will disrupt shopping
Also, by making provision for the parking of as many as 546 cars the MCGM will be actually encouraging the movement of so many cars in the area. At present, cars are spread out among parking areas of Lakhansi Napoo Road, Deodhar Road, Bhandarkar Road etc.
The heightened congestion will also disrupt shopping activities, according to local shopkeepers. The proposed tower parking will also call for the demolition of the beat chowky of Matunga Police.
Additionally, concerns regarding a neighbouring building’s plans for redevelopment are being put in jeopardy. The new car park building will also call for the relocation of the BEST electric substation.
