Bandra Worli Sea Link: 21st century symbol of classism
2009
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Rishabh Srivastava - Profile
There are 176 more posts on Jai Hind: Proud to be an Indian by Rishabh Srivastava
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Infrastructure, Society
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Bandra Worli Sea Link, Infrastructure, Mumbai, Society
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Bandra Worli Sea Link which was inaugurated last week has captured the attention of all the citizens of Mumbai. This mega project is developed by MSRDC (Maharshtra State Road Development Corporation) and HCC. The budget of this bridge shot up 4 times from initial Rs 400 crores for 16 lanes to Rs 1634 crore for 4 lanes. Isn’t something interesting? The opposition parties have already demanded for probe by central agency for corruption in the project.
BWSL is said to be the major project in Mumbai after independence. There are two landmarks in Mumbai now, the gateway of India and Bandra Worli Sea Link. I was enjoying the rains of Mumbai on Saturday at Worli Sea face with my friends. We decided to have a look of BWSL which was 100 m away from sea face. I went there with anxiety but on reaching the sea link, I realized that this link is not meant for the pedestrians and 2-3 wheelers. I was bit surprised and chuckled. The government has made majority of Mumbaikars fool. The one who does not owns a car is not allowed to enter the sea link. Gateway of India was made for Prince and this bridge has been made for rich. This is the vision that government has for aam aadmi!! During British times we had a hoarding “Dogs and Indians not allowed” and now there will be hoarding at sea link “Pedestrians and Bikers not allowed.”
I want to ask government whether they have constructed a bridge or opened a 5 star hotel. A major infrastructure project of which Mumbai is boosting is zilch for ordinary person. This is against the Article 21 of our Constitution which gives me this right to go to any place which is not private. It just shows that we are still held by the evils of classism. This sea link, an Engineering marvel, is the symbol of 21st century classism. Let me tell you that anyone can go and walk on Golden Gate Bridge in California. They have dedicated lane for pedestrians and 2 wheelers. But then this is India. Nawab Malik, cabinet Minister of state in an interview on television said that the pedestrians are not allowed on the bridge because they will commit suicide from it. What a silly reason? Has government done any survey or something on this? We can say this statement as a statement of government unless government disowns his statement. Today I want to ask all of the readers that are the infrastructure developments meant for rich only?
The citizens must join hands and agitate against this discrimination. As a tax payer, I have also contributed to building of this bridge. And even if i have not then also government cannot stop me from walking on to the bridge. The government will have to answer to the citizens about the stupid logic of depriving majority from using the bridge.
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Some how I am agreed to you, I do not find any reason to stop driving 2 and 3 wheelers, There is also a speed limit, so no reason to stop 2,3 wheelers
coming to the point of walking on the bridge, I think govt. is not wrong here, It is 5+ km long and is not made for tourism, It is to avoid traffic and to save time of those driving from Bandra to Worli
Frankly bridge is for driving not for walking (at least in case of 5+ km long bridge)
Do you realise that only half of the sea link is still open to public? Obviously they will not have that restriction once the project is complete.
People should think a bit before complaining about everything. Constructive criticism is good but beyond a limit only amounts to nagging.
@Vivek
This is not about complaining. It is about logic. The other half of the bridge will complete by the year end or after. Hopefully the government will allow 2-3 wheelers then. But let me tell you that this is still not in their plans.
@Jayesh
The pedestrian walk need not to be 5 km long but i think it can be a km or half from either side. It might be naive idea but i still feel it should have walking passage as well.
@rishabh, @jayesh: think b4 u critisize everything, consider this:
(a) 2-3 wheerlers are a major nuisance on the roads
(b) the initial speed limit is 50kmph which will finally be raised so stop whining
(c) the bridge is not for sight seeing, it is for driving and de-congesting traffic so forget pedestrians
anyways i dont think the whole sea link is gonna be over for another 5 years so who cares
@devil
Just because you own a 4 wheeler doesnt allow you to say that 2-3 wheelers are nuisance for Mumbai road.
Lets’ have a law and ban all the 2-3 wheelers. Right?
Dude any infrastructure project must be meant for all the citizens and not to a particular group.
@ Rishabh
Upto a point I totally agree with you Rishabh as far as 2-3 wheelers are concerned.But after witnessing the way bridge was built, i dont think it will be completed in an year or so.
@Devil
Though there was no logic so as to ban n say that 2-3 wheelers are nuisance but again being little diplomatic, I agree with devil regarding pedestrians…above post gives an example of Golden Gate bridge in California, but there are majority of bridges across the world that doesnt have a walking zone at all.
@devill
There is no logic in discussing this topic
thank you
I am fully agree with this article. Government takes different taxes for the development of citizen and country. In matter of Bandra-Worli sea link, it’s a long bridge so how can government stop riding to the bikers and three wheelers.Which decision took by the government in the past,it shows that Bandra-Worli sea link only for those whom have cars.
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Jamesforest21
sapience
1) As of today the BWSL is not a tourist spot and it is not for pedestrians simply because if it was it would defeat the purpose of decongesting the Mahim causeway and would stop fast,easy travell.
2) The bridge is basicly a highway that is part of a larger project called the western freeway project that will continue the BWSL to Nariman point and then even further to New Bombay.As we know on any Highway anywhere in the world pedestrians and threewheelers are strictly prohibited
3)Once the next carriage way opens the speed limit will be raised and motorcycles will probably be allowed however rickshaws willnot because a)they get in the way, have no driving sense and are not designed to go on highways b) because they are not allowed past Bhandra.
4)And yes the government does take taxes but it is middle and upperclass people who pay them however that is besides the point…think of it this way if cars start using the BWSL then the mahim causeway will be less congested and so those who cannot trall on the BWSL will have it pretty easy on the latter.
now i just realised how sad it is to talk on blog so i leave it with this last statement
what u said in ure article is pretty much shit
on the other hand the BWSL is a waste of money, it should be invested in public transport such as our rotton trains and busses which let me remind u carries 80% of all people transporting from south to West.