Mumbai: Residents of Jogeshwari West, who have been demanding the installation of noise barriers on the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray flyover for nearly four years, are now raising the issue with candidates seeking votes ahead of the January 15 civic polls.
The flyover now connects SV Road in Jogeshwari West with the WEH in the east. Phase two of the project, that connects the flyover to JVLR, is under construction. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)
Barely a kilometre of the 2.2-km flyover was opened to traffic in September 2015 to connect Jogeshwari East and West. The project’s second phase includes extending the bridge over the existing JVLR flyover and Mumbai Metro Line 7 on the Western Express Highway, before terminating at the Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road. The flyover runs within a few feet of several residential buildings on both sides, exposing residents to constant traffic noise.
Residents said they have repeatedly approached the K-West ward office, the chief engineer (Bridges), requesting to install noise barriers. Subsequently, the residents wrote a letter to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, seeking his intervention to address the issue. When their representations went unanswered, residents also served a legal notice to the civic body.
“The sound pollution is unbearable, especially due to honking and frequent traffic snarls on the flyover. Despite several follow-ups, nothing has been done,” said Mansoor Darvesh, a resident who has been coordinating with civic authorities. He added that with the civic body currently under an administrator due to the absence of corporators, residents had expected quicker redressal. “We are frustrated with the manner Gagrani has been functioning by ignoring the demands of the residents. Now that candidates are coming to us for votes, we finally have a chance to reopen the dialogue,” he said.
One of the affected areas is Ward 63 in Jogeshwari East, where several political parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party and the Republican Party of India (Athawale), are contesting.
Questioning the selective implementation of noise barriers, resident Shahnawaz Hussain said, “Why are such barriers installed on only a few flyovers while others are ignored? The hardship we face daily due to noise pollution is immense.”
An RTI application filed last year by residents seeking reasons for the non-installation of noise barriers generated a vague response from the BMC, citing “technical reasons”.
Residents said they are inclined to support candidates who commit to resolving the issue. However, Darvesh noted that most candidates have focused their campaigns on issues such as potholes, water supply and sewage. “Except for one, all the candidates are first-timers and largely unaware of the problems we face. It is unfortunate that long-standing civic issues are being ignored even as votes are being sought,” he said.