[neofromcapone]

Guys the roads are quite flooded, it has been raining since 10 am. Just drove from Gokuldham (Goregoan East) to Mindspace Malad (W). The goregoan flyover from Oberai Mall to InOrbit mall has ankle length water in many patches, some even more.

Plan your journey and drive safely, visibility is also very poor.

[Desmosedici]

Got to hear from friends that Western Express Highway and JVLR are Jam Packed and Central Train Services are down. Please make note before leaving for your homes.

I had left Goregaon West today afternoon at 12.30 and it took me 50 minutes to reach the highway. Overall it took me 90 minutes to reach Powai as compared to the daily 50 minutes. I am planning to leave Powai late hoping that the traffic thins out.

[kannan666]

According to the TV reports, more deluge is expected for the next 24hrs. They also claim that the flooding could have been worse had it been the time of high tide. Next high tide is reportedly at 2:00am tomorrow morning. Drive safe guys !

[Jignesh]

Today morning update: Western Express Highway was not jammed today morning.

I managed to reach SEEPZ from Malad West within 50 minutes via Aarey Road. But it seems there are heavy rains in Westerns Suburbs & Vasai Virar Belt. Seems today afternoon also we might witness a situation like yesterday.

Request people to plan accordingly & leave early from office today evening.

Thanks,

[F50]

There is absolutely no traffic from Dadar to CST via JJ Fyover. Took me 15 mins from Dadar to CST. There is slow moving traffic from Plaza to Dadar TT via Tilak Bridge as there are craters on the bridge.

Met Department warned for heavy rainfall, so its going to be a dry day.

[Desmosedici]

Normal traffic on roads today. took 50 minutes from Inorbit to Powai via Aarey. However Aarey road condition has become pathetic.

[Jignesh]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

However Aarey road condition has become pathetic.

Hello Desmosedici,

Yes. Currently Aarey road condition is really bad. But this year the Rains have not been that furious in Mumbai. I wonder if the Rains would have been normal, what would be the condition of Aarey Road?

Infact since last two years I am seeing Aarey Road going from bad to worse in monsoons & authorities doing nothing about this. Then sometime in October, some political party organises protests & stops Toll collection for a day. Only then the road is repaired to normal condition quickly.

Thanks,

[Meer]

Originally Posted by F50

Met Department warned for heavy rainfall, so its going to be a dry day.

Exactly my assessment as well

But traffic today in Parel area is surprisingly less, lot of people have not ventured out. It was not raining here, but just started drizzling now.

Yesterday I had to spend 1 hour 45 minutes to go from India Bulls office to Asoka Towers, just over a kilometer and there was knee deep water at places.

[normally_crazy]

JVLR was surprisingly normal yesterday - both in the morning and evening. I guess people did not dare venture out after the MET department's warning !!

[Jignesh]

18k new cabs, 30k autos to hit roads soon

Full Article here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/16521126.cms

Due to shortage of autos and taxis the State Transport Department has decided to issue 30,000 new permits for autorickshaws and 18,000 for brand new taxis. Which means there will be a total increase of 48,000 more public vehicles in two months.

Add to this the large number of new private cars which will be bought on account of festivals like Dussera & Diwali. Thus it seems in next couple of months atleast 60,000 to 70,000 vehicles will be added to already clogged Mumbai roads.

Thanks,

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Jignesh

Which means there will be a total increase of 48,000 more public vehicles in two months.

Add to this the large number of new private cars which will be bought on account of festivals like Dussera & Diwali. Thus it seems in next couple of months atleast 60,000 to 70,000 vehicles will be added to already clogged Mumbai roads.

Thanks,

If the Govt doesn't have any restrictions on the number of personal vehicles which can operate in the city, why should they have any restrictions on cabs and autos? My personal opinion is more the autos/cabs, the better it is for the customer (of cabs and autos).

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by carboy

more the autos/cabs, the better it is for the customer (of cabs and autos).

Beg to differ on this, any number of cabs/autos added in the past and in the future will never benefit the customers. More the no added, more powerful will the auto/cab union will be and more equipped to hold the city and customers to ransom at their will. I dont recollect when have the auto/cab fares been brought down due to public pressure? Every quarter there is a protest to hike the fares.

I believe the no of buses should be more than doubles and the no of autos/cabs should be halved from the present nos. Any auto/cab more than 8-10 yrs old should bebanned from plying on the Mumbai roads. They do more envoirnmental/health damage than help the citizens of Mumbai.

[Jignesh]

Originally Posted by carboy

why should they have any restrictions on cabs and autos? My personal opinion is more the autos/cabs, the better it is for the customer (of cabs and autos).

The problem we have not of shortage of Auto's & Taxi's. The real issue is their preference to go only on preferred routes or their refusal to ply on short routes.

Also another real problem is while they are allowing 48,000 more auto's & taxi's in the city, there is no effort to maintain the quality of service.

How many times seen a Auto taking left or right turn with proper indicator or signals? Infact in most of the auto's the Brake indicator (Red-light) is also not functioning. We have also read enough stories of Auto & Taxi drivers being rude to Customers.

Also hope you know that offical fines for offences like jumping the red signal are half of the fines set for private vehicles. No wonder why given a chance, Traffic Police pick private vehicles for minor traffic offences & not public vehicles.

Thanks,

[abdriver2000]

Originally Posted by Jignesh

Also hope you know that offical fines for offences like jumping the red signal are half of the fines set for private vehicles. No wonder why given a chance, Traffic Police pick private vehicles for minor traffic offences & not public vehicles.

Thanks,

I don't think that's the case. Fines are uniform for all drivers.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Beg to differ on this, any number of cabs/autos added in the past and in the future will never benefit the customers. More the no added, more powerful will the auto/cab union will be and more equipped to hold the city and customers to ransom at their will.

I don't understand how increase in number of cabs makes the union more powerful. It will increase the number, but how will it make them more powerful.

Assuming there are 100 autos and they strike or if there are 200 autos and they strike - what's the difference?

Originally Posted by ghodlur

I dont recollect when have the auto/cab fares been brought down due to public pressure? Every quarter there is a protest to hike the fares.

How will increasing number of cabs have any effect good or bad on this?

Originally Posted by ghodlur

I believe the no of buses should be more than doubles and the no of autos/cabs should be halved from the present nos.

Why not have same kind of restrictions on personal vehicles also. Increase number of buses and have restrictions on number of new cars which can be sold every month.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Any auto/cab more than 8-10 yrs old should bebanned from plying on the Mumbai roads. They do more envoirnmental/health damage than help the citizens of Mumbai.

Why not also ban autos/cabs more than 8-10 years old? That will also help with the environment.

I think the basic thing is this.
- People with cars don't want to travel by public transport.
- People without cars either take public transport or cabs/autos
- People with cars feel if no of cabs/autos are lesser and public transport is more, people without cars will lean towards taking public transport over taxis/autos
- This will decrease traffic/pollution etc
- So car owner is benefited without sacrificing anything himself.

We saw similar outrage when the Nano was first announced. People wanted it to be banned because it could lead to overcrowding/pollution etc.

Originally Posted by Jignesh

The problem we have not of shortage of Auto's & Taxi's. The real issue is their preference to go only on preferred routes or their refusal to ply on short routes.

Increase no of cabs should help with this. Assume 20 people want to travel by taxi every day. And there are 10 taxis and each one does only 1 fare per day. Then taxis get to reject 10 fares based on routes and still get 1 fare per day. If there are 20 taxis instead if 10 fares are rejected, 10 cabs will go without a fare through the day. If there are 40 taxis, they will be fighting amongst themselves for each and every fare.

Originally Posted by Jignesh

How many times seen a Auto taking left or right turn with proper indicator or signals? Infact in most of the auto's the Brake indicator (Red-light) is also not functioning.

I have seen similar & other issues with personal vehicles also.

Originally Posted by Jignesh

Also hope you know that offical fines for offences like jumping the red signal are half of the fines set for private vehicles.

Citation needed.