Maharashtra: Mumbai traffic woes plague Sion-Matunga residents

Illegal parking, traffic congestion, and road obstructions are just a few of the major challenges that residents of the Sion-Matunga region in Sion (East) face daily. Shanmukhananda Hall hosts seminars and programmes that draw a large crowd, resulting in vehicles parking right on the road.

"Traffic is slowed as a result of one-way streets. "These occurrences happen two or three times a week, causing traffic gridlock," stated one neighbour. "It is not an authorised parking place, automobiles are parked illegally. People loiter outside the hall after their events have finished. "Even after numerous warnings, there are no traffic police or regular police to clear the throng or assist traffic," another resident stated. According to the tenants, the hall organises telemarketing programmes for its members and even holds student festivals.

During peak hours, Comrade Harbanslal Marg, where the hall is located between King's Circle and Sion, sees moderate to heavy traffic. Residents have been reporting the traffic police and the Mumbai police via Twitter with images for several weeks but to no avail. They are looking for a long-term solution to this problem.

"Whenever we receive complaints from the people of the area, practically every time I and our officers take action against unauthorised parking. Every week, between 50 and 60 vehicles are fined by e-challan or towing. Because it is a private place, there are some restrictions on what can be done. "We have urged the organisers to check into the incident as well," stated a Matunga Traffic Division employee.