SNARLS RETURN AS RICKSHAWS BLOCK ROAD NEAR KANDIVALI STATION

AUTO RICKSHAWS BLOCKING THE WAY TO THE STAIRCASE AT KANDIVALI (E) STATION ARE A CAUSE OF MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE,FINDS MADHUSMITA SAHOO  Commuting woes of the residents of Kandivali (E) continue with auto rickshaws now giving them a hard time by blocking the path right at the beginning of the staircase to enter the railway station.This has subsequently led to traffic jams,arguments with rickshaw drivers and increased noise pollution.With the residents finding it tough with each passing day to find a solution to this unnecessary menace for quite some time now. It looks like the authorities are not paying any heed to this major traffic problem at the station.The auto rickshaws are parked haphazardly in three to four rows blocking the road for pedestrians as well as for vehicular movement.As a result,pedestrians have to struggle to cross this stretch to enter the station.We had tried reasoning it out with the auto drivers but they are too thickskinned to even lend a listening ear to us.They have become quite fearless and are least bothered about any action that will be taken against them.They are sure that the officials wont waste their time registering cases against them so they are rest assured, says Saket Gupta,a concerned resident of Kandivali (E). This is not the first time that such a complaint has been ensued.Many residents in and around the area who frequently travel by local trains have been trying to bring this matter to the notice of the corporators and the traffic department.While the assistant commissioner of police,traffic department was unavailable for comments,the corporator from the area,Kshitija Pujare,said,I will definitely take this matter up and see to it that it is resolved quickly. The residents say that such claims have been made earlier with no concrete results.An angry commuter who did not wish to be named said,"This problem exists since so many years but till date the traffic department has failed to move them out of the area.Its a huge lobby between the officials and the drivers which needs to be sorted out to end our troubles." madhusmita.sahoo  timesgroup.com