MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) is responsible for the formulation of MUTP. It envisages investment in suburban railway projects, local bus transport system, construction of new roads, building bridges, pedestrian subways and traffic management activities.
World Bank assists MMRDA to help bring about improvement in traffic and transport system in Mumbai.
WHY IS MUTP necessary?
Mumbai is a metropolitan city. The city faces innumerable problems such as traffic, transportation, commuting due to inadequate infrastructure and other facilities. Lack of wider roads or new roads has created chaos in the city of Mumbai. There are constant traffic jams because of slowed vehicular traffic causing excessive pollution and congestion. The problem of parking problems is huge. The government has taken many attempts to solve the issue of road congestion but has not been very successful in achieving the goal. MUTP will give a new vision towards controlling and development of smoother and better transport systems in Mumbai.
MUTP Partners
- Government of Maharashtra
- Indian Railways (IR)
- Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority
- Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation
- Brihanmumbai Electric supply and Transport
Problems with MUTP (Mumbai Urban Transport Project)
The government needed land for the execution of the project. So they started acquiring land by moving the land encroachers. In return, government provided the slum dwellers with houses (low cost housing) in another distant area.
The slum dwellers had to go through a number of problems. People went on a hunger strike to catch the attention of the government to fulfil their demands.
Problems faced by the slum dewellers were as follows:
Poor condition of the constructed building.
Water leakage from roofs and walls especially from the terrace, kitchen area and toilet had made living very unhygienic and uncomfortable.
These people did approach the MMRDA but there was no proper response. After pressurizing the government into fulfilling their demands, the government did accept to fulfil their demands but has failed to do so.
People were worried. They didn’t have food to eat, no work to do to for their livelihood and no education facilities for kids.
Poor people travel in buses and trains. Therefore, it is the duty of the government to provide public transport facilities in areas where these people have been relocated by the government.
The area had improper roads with lot of debris on them.
No streetlights on the roads.
No drinking water supply for the people.
People have lost their jobs because of being relocated to another region in the city. This gets people into a very critical situation.
These problems remain unsolved causing lot of pain, misery and poverty among these people. This is the sad state of India where if we try to move ahead with the technological advances and improve the overall conditions of the city and at the same time ruining futures of some people.
What can be done in such a situation?? Even if the government had provided these people with proper healthy homes instead of substandard homes; would they have been able to survive better? What about their jobs? If you have any views and ideas to express, please go ahead. It would be great to discuss visions and ideas and showcase them to the world.