The Gujarat High Court expressed concerns about traffic congestion on roads, motorcyclists risking their lives by riding without helmets and falling green cover in Ahmedabad city.
While hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) against a proposed flyover between Polytechnic and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A), Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal termed flyovers as a short-term solution, and called for a “holistic approach” by the authorities in tackling traffic woes.
“So traffic is a big issue here. It’s not confined to this particular flyover. It needs holistic planning for the city. Sometimes, flyovers are only short-term plans devised while sitting in the office without understanding the whole city. Planning for crossroads, flyovers or ring roads should be done by keeping in mind the entire structure of the city,” the chief justice said.
The division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi was hearing a plea filed by 20 citizens of Ahmedabad against a proposed 652-meter-long flyover over Polytechnic crossroads, also known as Panjrapol crossroads.
Senior advocate Mihir Thakore, appearing for the petitioners, informed the bench that there were several trees on both sides of the road and they might be done away with, as the contractor firm has already felled four trees.
Thakor further pointed out that the flyover would worsen traffic congestion because roads underneath would become narrow.
Chief Justice Agarwal suggested that traffic snarls at many other junctions be included in the PIL.
“We may also like to expand the scope of this PIL because there are traffic issues. Like the flyover through which we (judges) enter the high court. There are a lot of accidents. I am seeing a dead body every second or third week while coming to the court. Please raise this issue also in the PIL,” she said.
The plea will be heard next on August 5.
“One more issue is two-wheeler riders not wearing helmets and losing their lives in accidents. In the Bodakdev area of the city, the Judges Bungalow Road is the most dangerous. I can hear the sound of two-wheelers going by at full speed without silencers,” the chief justice said.
She pointed out that it was difficult to pass through roads going into the city from the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway during peak hours.
During the hearing, Thakore cited government data, and said Ahmedabad has the lowest green cover in the country.
The green cover in Ahmedabad in 2011 was 17.96 sq km, and it now stood at 9.41 sq km, which was a drop of 48 per cent, he said.
Thakore said mega cities like Bengaluru and Chennai have increased their green cover while Ahmedabad lost its green cover.
Agreeing with Thakore, the chief justice said, “There is hardly any green area in any apartment building because the entire area is covered by stone. Everyone has a parking area but no green area. After some time, it will be a concrete jungle.”