Speaking to SMD, MMRDA spokesperson and Joint Project Director Dilip Kawatkar said, "We observed that due to the traffic congestion and motorists' indiscipline, the utility value of the project, meant for a specific purpose, was lost. We will ensure that the bicycle track is used only for bicycles."

In an article dated January 6, 2011, MiD DAY had reported that while the MMRDA parking facility was available at BKC, motorists preferred to give it a miss due to steep parking fees and use parking areas offered by other agencies or simply park their vehicles on the road.

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The Rs 40 crore multi-storey parking facility of the MMRDA at BKC boasts of an 800-car capacity. It was opened to public in December 2009. An official from MMRDA, on condition of anonymity, said, "People don't use it because the parking charges are high.

They park their vehicles on the sides of BKC's roads." At MMRDA's parking lot, the parking charge is Rs 17 per hour and Rs 12 for every additional hour Once the cycling track is opened next month, the only option motorists will have is to park their vehicles in the MMRDA parking lot or faceu00a0 traffic police action and a heavy fine, said the official.

Justifying the present parking rates MMRDA Joint Project Director, Dilip Kawatkar, said, "It is true that our parking rates are high but our parking zones are highly sophisticated, hi-tech and safe compared to others where vehicles are damaged."

Motorist Dheeraj Bhatia, 26, who is a frequent visitor to BKC and also prefers to park besides the road, says, "MMRDA should bring down the parking rates. By reducing rates more people coming into BKC for short periods will be able to park their vehicles without worrying about them getting towed."