IE: A walkers’ plaza at Crawford Market junction: March 20, 2009

The crowded Crawford market junction, a mecca for middle class shoppers, may soon be converted into Mumbai’s first pedestrians-only walking plaza. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans to make the traffic go underground around the heritage market structure and its adjoining areas so that an exclusive pedestrian space will be created, where shoppers can stroll comfortably.The civic administration has asked the Urban Mass Transit Company to study the possibilities and design the road, which will begin at J J School of Arts and emerge at Mohammed Ali Road beneath the JJ Flyover.

A number of cities across the world have constructed underground roads so that the top space can be used as gardens, walking plazas or shopping hubs.

Civic officials said the market junction has huge potential for a walking plaza owing to its proximity of two markets, rows of cloths, merchandise and accessories shops and hawkers on streets. Moreover, the Police Commissionerate and G T hospital are also in the vicinity. “There are a lot of people who come to shop at the Crawford market, in the lanes opposite the market and the Manish market where one gets cheap Chinese items along with imported goods. People like to stroll here, but the place is so crowded that it usually ends in traffic chaos,” said a senior civic official.

Officials said the plan will not incur huge expenses. Since there is already a plan for underground parking, they said the underground road will only help a direct movement for vehicles. “People coming from Churchgate or D N Road can go underground near the JJ School and if they want to shop, can park their vehicle under Crawford market. If not, they can take the direct route from underground and go to Mohammed Ali Road or L T Road,” an official said.

Architect-consultant of Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI) Pankaj Joshi said the plan needs to be implemented keeping in mind the traffic arrangements of the area. “There a number of international cities who have implemented such schemes. Mumbai can also do it, provided it’s planned holistically and with a larger area perspective.”

Activist Krishnaraj Rao, who formed the Sahasi Padyatri movement for allowing more space for pedestrians on roads, said the move will pave way for greater safety on roads for commuters. “It is good that pedestrians are finally being given priority. The initiative will make it much safer to walk on the road instead of having to worry about traffic movement. However, the civic administration has to ensure that hawkers don’t take over the area.”

URL: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/a-walkers-plaza-at-crawford-market-junction/436812/