Chapter- 1(Introduction)

IMPACT OF THE FLYOVERS IN INFORMAL SECTOR AT ROAD JUNCTION

Abstract:
This paper is concerned about the social and economic activity at the road junction. How it is
participated to the peoples daily life livelihood, and their social, economic activities and what
will happen when an over bridge take place on that junction? How it affect the lives and activity
on that junction and those people whos directly and indirectly linked with it?

Introduction:
Today with the development there is a huge demand for making better cityscapes which
functions well. Functioning of the city is not merely the traffic on roads, but it means lot to the
functioning of the urban landscape where every activity is taking place. Eventually with the
development the number of vehicles added to the existing road network is getting more and
more and traffic has become a huge problem in the cities with the growing population and the
activities.
It is vital to solve the traffic in a proper way as well as to create proper spaces for people to
live. Here more focus is on the effect of the flyovers towards the urban landscape as a flyover
comes merely as a traffic solution.
When a flyover is placed merely to solve the traffic issues, it is true the vehicles could use it
effectively. But when it comes to the place where it stands and it is surrounding, it is just a
new structure placed and it can have many effects visually, physically and psychologically to
the life under it.
The formation of a cross junction on the street by the development authorities are just for the
connectivity of the places by the road at their intersection point. Due to that intersection it
provides the opportunity to the development of their
surrounding and increase the potential and value of the places.
The development of a cross junction takes long time to get
define their character, potential and identity by the activity
which takes place at that junction by the land use and
environment.
Fig.1, Kriers argument on street
If we observe the development of a cross junction as earlier
development conceptual sketch
time the small shops exist there. It was in the form of
temporary and permanent structures. Here the temporary shops include fruits vendor,
vegetable shops shoemaker and many people who came for very short time at this junction
and earn their livelihood. Rather than people also earn their livelihood by selling the
newspaper, magazines, books, flowers, and other goods required to sustain daily needs at that
cross junction which provides the opportunity to sale their product and earn their livelihoods.

School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal (MP)

If we talk about the permanent economic contribution by that

junction are the changing the land use to their surrounding in the
commercial use. Due to that change of land use so many shops
malls public and private building are built near that junction.
Fig.2.Kostofs argument on street

The importance of the cross junction in our life are define and described
by so many
development
conceptual sketch
researchers in their research papers. The famous urban planner and author
of kostof
The image
Source:
1984 of
the city Kevin Andrew Lynch, 1960, he described the five element of a successful and
sustainable city in his book. In those five element he discusses the importance of a cross
junction (node) how it is have their potential towards the urban development. He said about
the road junction it is the place to break the transportation. (Lynch 1960, p, 72)
He said that the cross junction are the place where people take
some break to their fast forward life. During that short break he
met so many people at that junction and it is gives the chance to
the social interaction and economical activity.

Allan B Jacobs, 1993, also discusses the feature of a successful

road junction and requirements of the great street in Great
Street. He said that a street cannot consider as Great Street
Fig. 3 Kevin lynchs conceptual
which does not have the potential to increase the social and
sketch of the node and city
economical activity. He describe the feature of the successful
character
junction which bring the people together, publicness livability, safety,Lynch
comfort
and
1960
participation to increase the social and economic activity on that place . (Jacobs, 1993, p, 270)

School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal (MP)

In the above page we discuses about various aspects of the road

junction how it is possess its identity over a long period. What
are the features that makes to a great cross junction and define
their character due to the activity take place on that junction.
But what will happen when an over bridge built on that
junction? How that fly over affect the activity on that junction,
the people whose daily income depended on that junction. How
it is affect the social life of their surrounding places and the
peoples.
Social activities at cross junction
As we know that each cross junction have their own identity
due by the activities exist on that place. Due to that activity it is
generator the social interaction between one people to other.
For example during the morning time many people waiting
buses and other transportation mode at that junction. During
that waiting time people get interact to each other. They may be
work or study together or not it does not matter. But due to
their daily waiting on that junction those people become
friends.
I found during the case study that so many junction are the
meeting point and hangout area of the student where they
spend their time with friends, enjoying tea, panipuri, on the
thella those placed near to that junction. So many shops also
associated in this social interaction, like food plaza, coffee
house, book stall etc where people spend their time with
friends and get interact during shopping etc.
The cross junction are become the witness of our happiness,
and sadness in our life. For example during the festival period
it turn as the central hub of that festival, for example during the
durga puja celebration hole junction become religious because
near to that junction the pandal were place and street get
decorated by using lights and many things, rather than durga
puja so many festival those are celebrated on the streets.
Cross junction also play most important role during election
period. During the election period so many hording and cutouts
placed on that junction for the campaign by several parties. It is
the place where leaders convey his speech to peoples by
arranging the rally etc.

Fig.4 Labor are assemble at the cross

junction at the morning

Fig.5 Tea stall near the cross junction

As we discus many social activity those are happen at the cross

road junction. Rather than those activity people use that
junction for the protest against the illegal things by the people
celebrating the victory to winning the games, show the anger
by burning the dummy of that person on that junction. Why
people choose it? Because it is have the potential to convey
their massages to get attention and support. They know that it
is the place which have the link to all kind of peoples they may
belongs to high class or low class and cast etc. because it has
the social interaction potential the key element which keep
linked to everyone.

Fig.6 Shops at the edge of the street

near the square

Economical activities at cross junction

If we talk about the participation of a cross junction in the
economical activities it is the place that provide us to earn their
livelihood.
As we observed while we crossing the junction we show that
so many people who selling the magazines, books, news paper
etc are sale by people, rather than that we found that beggars
also earn their livelihood due to that junction. It is that activity
which on micro level to participate in economical activity. It is
occurring for short time when the traffic signals red.
When the cross junction are laid on street then it generate
chances to development of economical activities at their
surroundings. Due to that junction commercial shops take place
the mobile vendor also place their thella and earn his livelihood
at that junction. For example the Rangmahal square at Bhopal
the whole surroundings have the commercial building, vendor
at footpath, and many people selling their product by walking
along the street footpath.
There are so many cross junction those provide the platform to
get earn their livelihood for example the Nehru nagar square in
Bhopal. In the morning it is act as a chowk. It is the place
where you can find the daily based labors for the construction,
painters for whitewash, carpenter etc, so this square is the basic
platform to these peoples livelihood. In the morning time this
place turn as the labor market where you can easily find them
and they also find job without roaming here to there place.

Fig.7 Fruits vender thella placed

near the cross junction

Fig.8 Shoes maker are sitting at

footpath for earning his livelihood

Affects of the flyovers at cross junction

Segregation of the city
When flyovers take place at any place it is create an edge of the
city. In many cases it is finding that over bridges are divide the
spaces between two parts. Due to its physical structure it create
an obstruction after the construction of the flyovers at any
place it does not matter that it is in informal place or formal
place. And because of that obstruction the visual connectivity
get break of both sides to the flyover.

Fig.9 Food stall and hording are

place at cross junction

It is also affect the development of their belonging places. In

many city it is find that the after the construction of that bridge
the growth rate or the frequency of the development hampered.
The development of that location does not similar to both sides.
Over the time it is found that one side is get more facilities and
services and other is less because of that physical boundary the
land value get changed. Changes occur in land cost due to
many factors it may be in proper transportation, the link and
distance from the city center, visual permeability etc.

Fig.10 Nagpur railway staion and flyover

Source: google earth

The examples of such cases are so many like the Nagpur

railway station fly over it has divided the city in two parts. Due
to that division the development rate are very slow as compare
to the western side as compare to eastern side. There are so
many differences in the density, land cost, services, and
livelihood activities also.

Fig. 11 J J Flyover Mumbai

Source: www.urbz.com

As shown in the figure the flyover creating a boundary between

the city. Due to this link between both sides gets banished. In
such type of places the social interaction also finished because
people dose not prefer to go and meet their friends and relative
without any specific purpose.
Migration and rehabilitation
Migration and rehabilitation is the major problem occurs when
any flyover proposed. It is found that when a flyover start
building on street it is needed also the side lane below the
flyovers for the proper transportation. And for that side lane all
the shops were remove those are placed at the edge of the
street.
It is very common to find the shops at street footpath like tea
stall, bike repairing, book stall, garments etc.
Due to the road widening these shops get closed and sifted to
other place. It is hamper the economical activity of those
people who earning their livelihood.
It is also found that during the fly over construction so many
houses also create problem. These houses are rehabilitating at
other place which may be or may not according to their living
style. Where it is very tough to resettle and start their work to
earn their livelihood. Because such kind of business are needs
direct link to people which may not possible at that place
where they rehabilitated.
Recent an example found at Matikhere flyover in Bangalore.
During the construction of this flyover and expansion of the
side lane of the M S Ramaiah road around 75 slum houses were
demolished. And more than 50 shops were moved to other
places. These shops were only source of income for their
livelihood of the slum dwellers. After demolishing his shops
and home it create big problem for them to find new space for
their works and habitats.
Affect on land cost and land use
Road network, streets, square and junction the major role in the
land cost and land use, according to the location and its
existence the land cost varies. As it is very general and simplest
fundamental for deciding the land cost. If the location of land is
at that place where all the facilities available like proper
transportation services and its potential according to
surrounding land use the cost of the land goes higher and
higher.

Fig. 12 Demolished houses during

the matikhere flyover construction
Source: www.googleimege.com

Fig.13 Land use before the flyover

near the cross junction

According to that fundamental the land cost get increase at that

location and junction where these kind of flyover proposed.
Because its generate lots of potential for the trading and other
businesses. As found that so many places after constructing the
bridges the land use get changed by the development
authorities. In major cases the land use changed residential to
commercial and industrial.
In the metro city like Mumbai and Delhi and other cities found
that the shopping mall and other commercial building are built
these kinds of places. So many car showroom also want such
kind of location those give the proper view of their show room.
Near to the flyover it gave direct view to increase and helps in
window shopping.

Fig.14 Land use after the flyover

construction at on cross junction

Promoting anti-social activities:

Flyover also helps in anti social activities. As found so many
places that lots of anti- social activities start happening after the
construction of the flyovers. In the night time it becomes place
of such kind of people who were involved in criminal
activities. Due to lack of surveillance in the night time these
kinds of people use this place for performing antisocial
activities like gambling, drug dealing, kidnapping, and so many
anti social activities takes place under the flyover.
Spaces under the flyovers is become the hang out point for the
drinkers and smack smokers. These kinds of people choose this
place for him and his activity. Because they knew that no one
can come here and interrupt him for his activity so it is safe
place for him. But it is not safe for the surrounding people and
society.

Fig. 15 Gambling happening under

the flyover
Source. Google image.com

Affect on personal solitude

Flyovers also interrupt in the private life by the providing
maximum surveillance to the surrounding places. Most of the
residential building facing this problem because of the opening of
the window towards the fly over side it gave the maximum chances
to peep inside the room and balcony during the moving on the
flyovers.
Due to its heights those people faced maximum problem that lived
at the same level floor to the height of the flyover. The so many
complain are mansion by the people in the society. The people do
not able to use his window for the ventilation and other purpose.

Fig 16 Smakers are smoking under

the flyovers
Source: google image.com

Fig.17 Conceptual section of the flyover which is

showing the privacy issue in the residential buildings
Source: www.urbz.com

Chapter -2 (Case study)

Name
of the
flyover:
JJ
flyover

Location: Mumbai
Run: 2.4 km
Width: 6 lanes

Fig. 18
Source: www.urbz.com

Introduction:
The JJ flyover runs from the Crawford Market area all the way to
Byculla, jumping over some of the densest and most frantic
neighborhoods of Mumbai. It is a mess of traffic above and a mess
of traffic below. All accommodations are made for the car and
truck, while pedestrians are left to fend for themselves. While the
flyover features prominently on all maps of Mumbai, the space
beneath it is a curiously overlooked space.

Activities under the flyover

Under this flyover lots of activities happen from morning to late
night. In the mornings, informal markets spring up selling
everything from tea to chickens, fish to fruit and so many other
shops like news paper and vegetable venders placed his tell in the
morning time. During this time so many formal activities also take
place under the fly over. Like children play cricket and others
game on the street in the morning, mothers wash clothing, cook
food and sell small goods in the tiny leftover spaces of
intersections and traffic medians. In the evening time so many food
stalls setups under the flyover. On these shops labor groups came
here and take foods and they used to drink with his group.
So many labors used this space as shelter here they come after
doing all works during day time and take food and use vacant
parking space for sleeping.
In the day time it is also works as a drop point for those people
who evolve in trading businesses. The trucks are parked under
the fly over and they sale his product in very short time and went
back to his home.

Fig 19Activities under

the flyover
Source: www.urbz.com

As shown in the picture in the morning time it is turn as chicken

Mandy. Here sellers came in the morning time by the loader or
tempo. They placed his tempo under the flyover and start selling
chicken. Where lots of meat shop venders come here to purchase
chicken and fish for his shops.
Fig.20 People are sleeping under the flyover
Source: www.urbz.com

Fig.21 Small shop of the gutkha and

cigrates source: www.urbz.com

Fig.22Chiken and fish mundi under the flyover

Source: www.urbz.com

Space under the flyover is left used as parking by those people

whom shops are near the place and side of the street.
Municipal Corporation also used this space for the parking propose
They gave this place to any parking vendor on the tenure for a
define time. It may be one or two year contract for open parking.
They dose not allowed to construct any wall and shades under the
flyover. Because it is create obstruction for visibility and a physical
barrier in the interaction and public surveillance.

Fig.24 JJ flyover Mumbai

Source: www.urbz.ocm

Fig.23 parking under the flyover

Transforming
of character in night:
Source www.urbz.com

As till now we are talking about only the commercial activities

under the flyover. But it is also predicated in the social activities to
interact with the people and enjoy their happiness of winning
games and other things.
During the festival season surrounding people use to place the
pandal under the fly over for Ganesh utsav, ed Milan samaroh, and
so many social festival celebrates under it.

Fig. 25 Ganesh utsav celebration under the flyover

Source: www.googleimage.com

Fig.26
Source:Google image .com

Fig.28
Fig.27 People are using space for enjoying
Source: www.urbz.com
game and celebration of happiness under it
Source: www.urbz.com

Fig. 29 Shops and activities surrounding the flyovers

Source: www.urbz.com

Chapter -3 conclusion and recommendation

Analysis:
As we discos so many issues on the social and economical
activities happen on the cross junction and under the flyover. It is
serve the opportunity to earn livelihood to those people who works
and have shops near by the cross junction and under the flyover.
These spaces are having so much potential so to participate in the
development of economical activities as well as social activities
also.
We find that when flyover came at any cross junction it generate so
much issues like the migration and rehabilitation of shopkeepers
street venders and dwellers also.
We also found that the flyover also participate in anti social
activity. But only the flyover is not responsible for that kind of
activity. It is take place under it because lacking of the public
surveillances and security.
Conclusion and recommendation
Conclusion of overall study is that when any flyover built at cross
junction it demolishes the social and economic activity for a short
time after the constriction completed is again happening under it.
But the uses of that space in not well design and safe for him and
also for those people who came here and purchase daily used
goods like vegetables, Clothing, books magazine news paper etc.
It is also not safe for those people who are using this space as
shelter for sleeping propose in night time. Rather than that
pollution also is the problem under the flyovers. Because of
lacking of ownership of the place people does not care about the
waste pollution and they dump the wastes near the column or on
the footpath which is left for pedestrian use.
Recommendation
As we found that people did not stopping using the space near by
the cross junction under the flyover. Because it is have the
potential to earn his livelihood for so many people. So why not we
design such kind of proposal to use this space in safe manner and
helps to developed social and economical activates.
As show many cities have such kind of design interventions to use
the spaces under the fly over for the storage, parking, public spaces
and as market place.

Present day uses:

Parking
Habitable space for slum dweller
Small market
Landscaping
Open storage
Proposed uses under it:
Cold storage
Warehouses
Parking
Public spaces like play area

Fig.30
Source: www.urbz.com

As shown in the above figure the space under the fly over is
Fig31 Source: Sarit Shekhar
unutilized. This space can be used as the public space and other
PMCA Calicutt
uses those are discos in the proposal.
:
As show in the devolving the space under the fly over can increase
the landscape beauty as well as public surveillances which can be
control the anti social activities under it.
The usage must be much safer for all kind of user groups and those
people who use to come here and selling and buying the goods for
daily used

Fig.33 Source: Sarit Shekhar PMCA Calicutt

Fig.32
Source: ww.urbz.com

The intervention of the landscape design under the fly over can
control the pollution. We can plant trees and shrubs under the
flyovers which is can work as greenbelt to help in control the noise
and smoke pollution.
We can also proposed small park kind of things under it which is
used by the children and other people who use to came here and
for tea and other gossips with friends. So they can use this space
for his social meeting with his friends.

=====================

Reference
1.
2.
3.
4.

Lynch K.A., 1960,(image of the city p 72) Cambridge., The MIT Press.
Jacobs A.B. 1993, (Grate Street p 271) Cambridge. The MIT Press.
Biswash S, under the flyover www.urbz.com accessed on 20 march 2012
Suresh EAT 2006 responsiveness of urban landscape and flyover srilanka., university of moratuwa

Bibliography
1. Peshwe S. 2012Space Below Flyovers Delhi. Architecture time space & people COA India
2.
3.
4.
5.

Lynch K.A., 1960,(image of the city p 72) Cambridge., The MIT Press.
Jacobs A.B. 1993, (Grate Street p 271) Cambridge. The MIT Press.
Biswash S, under the flyover www.urbz.com accessed on 20 march 2012
Suresh EAT 2006 responsiveness of urban landscape and flyover srilanka., university of moratuwa

List of figure
Fig. No description
1
Kriers argument on street development conceptual sketch
2
Kostofs argument on street development conceptual sketch
3
Kevin lynchs conceptual sketch of the node and city character
4
Labor are assemble at the cross junction at the morning
5
Tea stall near the cross junction
6
Shops at the edge of the street near the square
7
Fruits vender thella placed near the cross junction
8
Shoes maker are sitting at footpath for earning his livelihood
9
Food stall and hording are place at cross junction
10
Nagpur railway station and flyover
11
J J Flyover Mumbai
12
Demolished houses during the matikhere flyover construction
13
Land use before the flyover near the cross junction
14
Land use after the flyover near the cross junction
15
Gambling happening under the flyover
16
Smakers are smoking under the flyovers
17
Conceptual section of the flyover
18
View of JJ flyover
19
Activity under the flyover
20
People are sleeping under the flyover
21
Small shop of the gutkha and cigrates
22
Chiken and fish mundi under the flyover
23
parking under the flyover
24
JJ flyover Mumbai
25
Ganesh utsav celebration under the flyover
26
Ganesh utsav celebration under the flyover
27
enjoying game and celebration of happiness under it
28
enjoying game and celebration of happiness under it
29
Shops and activities surrounding the flyovers
30
conceptual section of a bridge
31
vacant space below the flyover
32
proposed section of the bridge
33
view of the using space below the flyover

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