Infrastructure : Key to Urban Living Challenge - A case for Many More Freeways in Bombay

A year back, if somebody had claimed that he has traveled from Chembur to Fort area in 20 minutes time, you would have thought that he is a first rate liar. But today Eastern Freeway has made it possible. In fact 17 km freeway distance from Chembur to Orange Gate in the town-side  can be easily  traveled straight 15 minutes, traveling the same distance through a series of flyovers right from Chembur to Fort would have taken minimum an  hour or so during the busy time of the day. This could have  become a reality due to a realistic planning and futuristic vision shown by the Government for the  first time in city of Bombay, its utility is much much larger then the Sea Link which connects Bandra to Worli, and mind it , it is absolutely Free for the commuters . This Freeway is a boon to daily commuters living right from New Bombay to Chembur, as it  saves minimum one and half hour of their precious time every day  bypassing  the older choked north-south arteries of Bombay city. This Freeway is going to change life of Eastern Part of town as cozy as Metro Rail has done in Delhi.

This Freeway has also given an opportunity to the people to enjoy view of eastern edge of the city from the elevated position, hidden for decades together behind the foreboding walls of the Bombay Docks area all along PD'Mello Road. Looking to the left  while cruising  towards South Bombay several version of dystopian wasteland emerge, even as the sun rises from behind the mud flats, former salt pans and mangroves, Antop Hills and old Bombay's dockland heritage. In fact, this edge of the Island city lies slit like  a silver separated from the rest by a tall wall  that hides the docklands from the prying eyes. Beyond these walls lies the first Manor House that the Portgues built, the signed memory of the Fort Stikine disaster, the pier from the whence a million emigres left to better life in other continents. It is the same pier that Mahatma Gandhi returns to a rousing welcome. The City Planners, Decision Makers in the Government should seriously ponder over the fact that bulk of shipping cargo has gone to JNPT, this vast land spread over a stretch of 15 km long be returned to city, and make life of Bombaywallah more affordable and easy. Here lies an opportunity for a real urban transformation far beyond that of the erstwhile mill lands which has now exhausted their urban potential in a morass of contested tenures and exploitative real estate. On the other hand this huge land mass has a potential for a planned habitat and a melange of waterfront activities. In fact this was the area which enticed the Britisher in the first place to relocate their operations from Surat.

 If we have to make this city worth living for the common man, we need to taken up infrastructures similar or of larger magnitude keeping in view of the problems and challenges of another 50 years  on top priority basis.