De-stress At The Park
Mumbai’s existence would be impossible without its green lungs - the Aarey Colony and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali - the only national park within a city in the whole world. Sadly, it’s near impossible to visit these without losing hair or worse still, one’s sanity.
A trip to the green zone spells meandering through the maze of private cars of all shapes and sizes to aggregator cabs equipped with GPS with food delivery riders zipping in and out of long lines, cutting lanes at will in traffic moving at snail’s pace, guaranteed to pile on the stress. Public transportation to this zone is almost rendered to naught. A bus trip takes eons to complete leaving the trains as the only best option available. Driving down to the zone in one’s private car or vehicle is asking for trouble.
However, in recent time, a proposed Metro Car Shed’s arrival at Aarey Colony has posed a threat to the very existence of the green zone. Compounded with that are fires that rage regularly at the Colony, sparking ‘fears of sabotage’ and attempts to ‘rid the zone’s trees’, underlining popular fears.
Today, Mumbaikars spend a good chunk of their day travelling through Metro-III construction zones to reach their workplace and back in their private vehicles mostly two-wheelers as travelling by a BEST bus - the best public transport available - is out of question. “You’d take till forever to move, if stuck, in a bus,” says SGNP regular and photographer Vineet Khanna.
“After a few trips to the park in a bus, that went on for hours on end leaving me with no time at my destination, I have given up on public transport. I prefer plying till here on my two-wheeler,” adds Vineet, echoing the sentiment of most Mumbaikars commuting along the congested zone.
This report has been prepared for DraftCraft International’s flagship initiative The Public Space Project in conjunction with its pilot endeavours - The Right To Walk Project, The Gateway of India Project and The Elephanta Island Project to research, analyse and determine the rights of the common man, the pedestrian, the tourist and the rights of the masses availing public transportation in contrast to those privileged few owning private vehicles. The initiative examines laws and policies regarding transport, access to public spaces and privacy guaranteed to all by the State in context of the Right To Equality, Freedoms and the Right to Life.
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| The Entrance to the Car Shed depot at Aarey |
A trip to the green zone spells meandering through the maze of private cars of all shapes and sizes to aggregator cabs equipped with GPS with food delivery riders zipping in and out of long lines, cutting lanes at will in traffic moving at snail’s pace, guaranteed to pile on the stress. Public transportation to this zone is almost rendered to naught. A bus trip takes eons to complete leaving the trains as the only best option available. Driving down to the zone in one’s private car or vehicle is asking for trouble.
However, in recent time, a proposed Metro Car Shed’s arrival at Aarey Colony has posed a threat to the very existence of the green zone. Compounded with that are fires that rage regularly at the Colony, sparking ‘fears of sabotage’ and attempts to ‘rid the zone’s trees’, underlining popular fears.
Today, Mumbaikars spend a good chunk of their day travelling through Metro-III construction zones to reach their workplace and back in their private vehicles mostly two-wheelers as travelling by a BEST bus - the best public transport available - is out of question. “You’d take till forever to move, if stuck, in a bus,” says SGNP regular and photographer Vineet Khanna.
“After a few trips to the park in a bus, that went on for hours on end leaving me with no time at my destination, I have given up on public transport. I prefer plying till here on my two-wheeler,” adds Vineet, echoing the sentiment of most Mumbaikars commuting along the congested zone.
This report has been prepared for DraftCraft International’s flagship initiative The Public Space Project in conjunction with its pilot endeavours - The Right To Walk Project, The Gateway of India Project and The Elephanta Island Project to research, analyse and determine the rights of the common man, the pedestrian, the tourist and the rights of the masses availing public transportation in contrast to those privileged few owning private vehicles. The initiative examines laws and policies regarding transport, access to public spaces and privacy guaranteed to all by the State in context of the Right To Equality, Freedoms and the Right to Life.
