Residents of Chandivali, infuriated by the deplorable state of DP Road 9 Chandivali, took a unique approach to shed light on the indifferent attitude of the local civic authorities. On Saturday morning, they conducted a ceremony to honor the courageous motorists who brave the treacherous potholes that plague the road.
Kunal Yadav, a commendable resident of Chandivali, was recognized with a coconut and a shawl for his daily endeavor to traverse this road on his way to the office. He lamented the fact that what should be a 5 to 10-minute journey from Chandivali to the Eastern Express highway now consumes 30 to 40 minutes due to the abundance of potholes and subsequent traffic congestion. Moreover, encroachments on both sides of the road exacerbate the difficulties faced by commuters. Kunal emphasized that if the road were in good condition, he could save at least 30 minutes each day on his way to his Office which is in Chembur.
Mandeep Singh Makkar, one of the founding members of the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA), expressed their admiration for the felicitated citizens and their intention to raise awareness about the daily hardships faced by residents while traversing this road while speaking with Planet Powai! He insisted on nominating DP Road 9 as one of the most deteriorated roads in Mumbai which is a main connector road Linking Chandivali Farm Road to JVLR. highlighting the fact that the planned 90-feet road is nowhere in sight. Makkar revealed that despite assurances from Additional Commissioner Mr. P .Ve lrasu in February, who promised that work would commence within a month, no progress has been made as of July. Efforts to obtain a comment from Velrasu were unsuccessful.
The felicitation event served as a means to draw attention to the persistent issues faced by residents daily. Makkar also said that if the matter remains unresolved, they would stage a hunger strike, known as 'anshan,' on August 15.
Yogesh Patil, another, shared his experience, stating that it currently takes him an hour to reach his office. He firmly believed that if DP Road 9 were free of potholes, his travel time would be cut in half. However, he expressed disappointment in the lack of action taken by the authorities to address the situation.
Patil, who received recognition during the felicitation, revealed that it takes a mere five minutes to traverse the patch on foot, but an agonizing 30 to 40 minutes by car. He emphasized that with other internal roads closed, DP Road 9 remains the closest route to reach JVLR.
Sukhjit Singh Atwal, another concerned resident, pointed out that aside from the road being riddled with craters, encroachments such as garages contribute to its narrowing, making it arduous for pedestrians to utilize the footpath and forcing them to walk on the road instead. The road becomes heavily congested during peak hours.
Residents also lamented the encroachment on one side of a wide four-lane road opposite the Powai police station.
In a previous report by Planet Powai in January, the demands of the residents for the construction of the proposed 90 feet road and the appalling condition of DP Road 9 were highlighted. This road, as per the BMC's Development Plan, aims to connect Andheri to Chandivali Farm Road and further to JVLR.
