BMW Guggenheim Lab competition unveils designs for Mumbai traffic junction

The winning entries for ?Rethinking Kala Nagar Traffic Junction,? a competition organised by the BMW Guggenheim Lab, in collaboration with Mumbai Environmental Social Network (MESN) to redesign one of Mumbai?s most congested transportation hubs at Kala Nagar, has thrown up interesting, creative and practical designs for the Kala Nagar junction which sees about 60,000 passengers per hour during peak times. The contestants were asked to consider the junction?s complex traffic flow and explore ways to redesign its infrastructure with ideas that could be applied to other intersections throughout Mumbai. The selection committee awarded three honours in the professional category and two in the student category. A ?people?s choice? winner, selected from either category, was decided by more than 200 community votes. The selected professional category entries addressed issues such as the urgent need for clearly visible signals, proper signage and lighting, need for more green spaces, clearly marked traffic lanes and rainwater collection. The student category entries laid emphasis on bicycle use, the pedestrian experience, improved signal lighting, and creative use of space under the existing flyover.