Mumbai, November 28:The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) area in Mumbai, located in the vicinity of CSMT railway station, will be revamped on the lines of New York's Times Square. The makeover project was announced by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday, in coordination with the Mumbai Traffic Police and the US-based Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety.

The project announcement was made by Bloomberg Associates' top executive Janette Sadik-Khan, who was accompanied by top BMC officials. At the project launch, Sadik-Khan said the CST area shares resemblance with New York's Ninth Avenue -- as both house the respective city's most bustling and iconic business hubs. BMC Vows Action Against Abandoned Vehicles Creating Traffic Menace in Mumbai.

Sadik-Khan, who has also served as former transportation commissioner of New York City, said the current framework of traffic movement in Mumbai's CSMT lacks safety measures for pedestrians. She further added that similar to New York, the makeover project will have to implemented in Mumbai in pieces, as it would be easier to retract if the changes fail to yield results.

The initial trials, Sadik-Khan said, would be complimented with data-assessment and evaluation to ascertain the success of the changes. She claimed that a smooth pedestrian path at New York's Ninth Avenue led to an increase in footfall by 35 per cent, which subsequently boosted the retail rates.

BMC's additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal said the primary concern before Mumbai is the lack of parking space. The municipal body is considering to implement a pilot project where less-frequented lanes could be reserved for two-wheelers, while the adjacent roads could be assigned for authorised parkings.

Apart from the CSMT area, 19 high-traffic intersections in Mumbai are also expected to undergo improvements. The key roads which will be revamped include LBS Marg, P D'Mello Road and Belasis Road.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 28, 2018 08:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).