PUNE: Vivek Kharwadkar: This is not a project that can be launched immediately. As of now, the BOT committee has given its nod in principal. Now, we will begin studying the problems and put the solutions before the committee. What we certainly know is that the traffic along Laxmi Road needs to be brought down, the sooner the better.

Vijay Kale, former corporator: A no parking zone will make little difference until the road is declared as out of bounds for vehicles. You cannot reap the benefits of no parking without freeing the road of the heavy vehicles that pass through it. But what makes me angry is the attitude of the PMC. It has never been serious at providing a solution to the issue. I don’t know whether officials have taken into consideration times of flooding in the river. We will have to go for a multi-storey parking lot facility.

Prasanna Jagtap, deputy mayor, who proposed the river side project: Well the wadas will have to make room for parking lots in the open space that they now command. There is no other alternative. But since they are few in numbers, I don’t think the corporation would have problem convincing them. Moreover, the fact that we would provide bus service from the river bed side would take care of their problem.

Sanjay Mundada, Chief Executive Officer, Jai Hind Collections, Laxmi Road: It would be a wonderful idea. Shifting the two-wheelers along Laxmi Road will make at least 10 feet of additional road space available to the public making the experience of passing through the area a comfortable one. I reckon it will help attract more customers to the area. Easy accessibility and free movement will bring us back a segment of customers who have shunned this road due to overcrowding. But you cannot ban vehicles movement on this road. That would be a bad idea. And the PMC must ensure a good frequency to carry people to and from the river side parking.

 Fattechand Ranka, Ranka Jewellers, Laxmi Road: An absolutely faulty idea that will directly affect all business on the road. As far as I know, Laxmi Road does not experience any traffic jams. We have a flowing traffic here. This is just one of those exotic ideas that many croporators come up with whenever they visit a foreign country. It is unimplementable. You can have a pay and park option, but completely doing away with two-wheeler parking is not a very good idea. And yes, it is wrong to believe that most of the vehicles parked there belong to the employees who work with us. I don’t think they can even afford them.