Maharashtra govt decides to form expert panel to resolve Mumbai's traffic woes, informs Bombay HC of move

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court that it has decided to constitute an expert committee to help resolve the traffic congestion in the city.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni informed a bench led by Acting Chief Justice Naresh Patil that the committee would comprise members from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), police and the state traffic department.

In an affidavit submitted before the bench during the hearing, Kumbhakoni also said the committee would take the help of independent experts and invite suggestions from the public for the government to tackle the problems arising due to the increasing vehicular traffic and rampant unauthorised parking in Mumbai.

The affidavit was filed in compliance with a previous order of the high court directing the state to implement some long-term measures to reduce traffic congestion and its resultant woes in the city.

The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a local NGO, Janhit Manch, raising concerns over the increasing vehicular population and traffic problems across Mumbai.

The PIL also informed the court that the lack of adequate designated parking space in the city, and the resultant unauthorised parking along the roads and on pavements was adding to the woes of the commuters in the city.

The bench has now directed the state government to inform the court once the committee is constituted and some of its recommendations are received.