Mumbai’s IDFC Institute has published a new working paper with support from The Rockefeller Foundation (New York City) revealing the state of traffic congestion as well as the time wasted in traffic by an average Mumbaikar. The report says that a resident spends up to 11 days per year on average stuck in traffic.
Harsh Pachisia, an associate from IDFC said,
“The report has been prepared to assist policymakers in eradicating congestion. It identifies specific chokepoints (routes with lowest speeds) that should be looked into through interventions. It also estimates the economic and environmental costs of congestion in the city.”
The report adds that a 30km trip from South Mumbai to the Mumbai International Airport takes around 90 minutes during peak hour traffic in the evenings. In comparison, a 48km trip from China’s Shanghai to its international airport only takes 45 minutes. This report perfectly illuminates how the time taken to travel between two places can determine the productivity of a region.
Also Read: Traffic Congestion Costs Daily Commuters In Mumbai 85 Minutes Every Day
Congestion also leads to a surge in your fuel prices. The study found that a round trip on a petrol vehicle between Borivli and Lower Parel will on average cost Rs 350 or more due to slow-moving traffic along the way. The report adds that Borivli and Andheri (W) have the worst traffic problems among all the areas monitored by the IDFC.
The findings recommend monitoring traffic patterns to effectively counter congestion in the region. One of the best solutions to avoid congestion in the city’s roads is for residents to keep their privately owned vehicles at home and utilize the existing public transport infrastructure which is only getting better.
Several new Metro lines are being added by the MMRDA, allowing passengers to finally travel quickly to and from several key points of the island city. The ambitious coastal road project is expected to cut down congestion significantly and as a consequence, reduce travel times between Marine Drive and Worli.
A recent report suggested that the BMC is looking to cut nearly 140 trees for the coastal road project. The authorities are yet to respond to this or come up with a solution on how to tackle this.
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