When a city turns rogue for walkers

While several infrastructure and construction projects have turned the city inside out, the lack of pragmatic urban planning to align with the steady influx of people into a city where dreams come true has led to small businesses spilling on to the streets. Together, they hold up the mirror to rampant civic apathy

A group of runners and joggers turned up at the Shivaji Park police station on Monday demanding safety for walkers and runners in the city. The concerned citizens, which included fitness enthusiasts, converged to protest the death of 58-year-old Rajalakshmi Vijay Ramakrishnan, chief executive officer of a private firm, who was mowed down by a speeding car while she was on a morning run on Worli Sea Face on Sunday.

BMC commissioner and administrator, Iqbal Chahal, in his budget speech had repackaged the pedestrian first policy and promised that this year BMC will map the footpath facilities for all major roads over nine-meter width, as also places where footpaths were absent or in a sorry state. Chahal had also promised to fast-track new cement concrete footpaths for ease of walking (HT Photos)

Ramakrishnan’s death has brought to the fore, yet again, of Mumbai’s relationship with walking and safety of citizens, given that a majority of footpaths are out of bounds as the city is in the process of reinventing itself.

While several infrastructure and construction projects have turned the city inside out, the lack of pragmatic urban planning to align with the steady influx of people into a city where dreams come true has led to small businesses spilling on to the streets. Together, they hold up the mirror to rampant civic apathy.

According to experts, walking involves 55 per cent of a person’s daily commute in Mumbai, and the city, which loves walking, has been maimed.

Walking is not safe anymore, evidenced when Team HT attempted to do so in various parts of the city and suburbs. Parts of roads and footpaths are choked up with construction material and debris carelessly dumped, with rampant encroachment by hawkers making even a 10-minute easy walk in many places a challenge.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde granted ₹1700 crores for the Mumbai beautification project in September 2022, with each ward being allocated ₹30 crores. Where they are not encroached, the footpaths are being rebuilt. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), there are nearly 5000 sites across the city, which have ongoing infrastructure and private construction.

Pankaj Joshi, principal director, Urban Centre, Mumbai, said, “World over pedestrians are given the first priority, followed by public transport and private vehicles. It is exactly the opposite in urban India.”

Joshi added that as most Mumbaikars love to walk a pedestrian priority policy must be mandated, with Indian Road Congress standards followed. “It is high time we realise the need for good footpaths for bulk walking,” he said, stressing on the necessity of viable road crossings and ramps.

BMC commissioner and administrator, Iqbal Chahal, in his budget speech had repackaged the pedestrian first policy and promised that this year BMC will map the footpath facilities for all major roads over nine-meter width, as also places where footpaths were absent or in a sorry state. Chahal had also promised to fast-track new cement concrete footpaths for ease of walking. ₹200 crore was allotted for the purpose. He had said the BMC roads department had empanelled urban road designers to carry out the task. Once constructed, these footpaths will be a pleasure for walks.

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Dhairya Shah, 32, businessman

Route: Malad East: From passport office to the railway station

My experience: I use this route to go to work every day. There are various obstructions that force me to walk on the road. Since this is a busy station area, I have the added challenge of cleverly dodging traffic. The local civic body should swing into action and clear the footpath of all encroachers. Those who have set up shops here should be asked to pack up.

Dangers flagged: Local shop owners have usurped Sati Marg, a pedestrian walkway on this stretch; and if this was not bad enough, vehicle owners seized whatever space remained to use as parking spots. Apart from this, the road has also taken up the space meant for footpath there.

HT observation: This road connects the Dindoshi metro station on the Western Express Highway to Malad railway station. Between the two ends, there are commercial offices, a major government establishment like the passport office, apart from eateries, a regular grocery store and other shops.

At several stretches along this route, these structures have illegally extended onto the footpath, leaving no space for people to walk and causing vehicular clogs.

Dr Mahesh Bedekar, 48, doctor

Route:Thane West: From Bedekar Hospital to Gokhale Road

My experience: I walk on this narrow lane whenever I am free. It’s a lane meant for walking, not traffic. And yet, this space is packed with vehicular flow at all times. On the other hand, two people cannot use the footpath side by side thanks to encroachments. One of the two must step down on the road perforce and negotiate with oncoming vehicles.

Besides this, the footpath is uneven making it a challenge for senior citizens and small children. It is common to see both losing their balance while walking.

This (and similar areas) should be marked as walking zones only and hawkers encroaching given marching orders. A person should be deployed to keep a constant watch to make these inner lanes and footpaths accessible to citizens only. At least two people should be able to walk together.

Dangers flagged: Hawkers occupy 50 to 60 per cent of footpaths in most areas and the congestion thickens in the evening. The end of the footpath on this stretch is uneven and some parts are broken, leading to citizens losing their balance while walking.

HT observation: Smoothen the footpaths by removing the unevenness and mend the broken sections. Hawkers must be eliminated completely from the footpath as the road has parks for senior citizens and children, and hospital for women and children. The road helps connect to Gokhale Road, an important link to the railway station.

Chirag Salian, 35, screenwriter

Route: Juhu: From Balkan Ji Bari, Juhu Tara Road, to the entrance to Juhu beach, near B Kitchen Road

My experience: We face various kinds on dangers along this 700-800 meter stretch. There is no continuous footpath here – parts are either dug up or encroached by illegal vendors or used to dump residual construction material. One section is dug up for storm water drains, with the contractor oblivious to the safety of walkers.

We actually hop and skip between sections of the footpath that are free and the main road to walk, hoping that drivers of vehicles and bikes remain alert and do not dash into us.

We are used to this way of life in Mumbai, where each time we step out we put our lives in the hands of drivers. I fear that this is only likely to worsen during the monsoons. If a prime area such as Juhu faces this problem, I dare not dwell on the state of affairs in other parts of the city.

Dangers flagged: The absence of a consistent footpath is a bit red flag. Citizens are forced to walk on the road, endangering their lives as they face speeding traffic.

HT observation: Uneven tiling and rampant encroachment by hawkers. This is no less than a danger zone for senior citizens and children.

Reshma Doshi, 45, digital analyst

Route: Bandra West: From Jari Mari Road to Bandstand Promenade

My experience: My worst fear came true this morning when I read about the accident in Worli. I walk on the road every day – from my house to Bandstand. That 15-minute walk is dangerous.

In some places, housing societies have staked their claim on the footpath by creating a slope from their internal path to the main road for a smooth drive-through. Then there is a children’s nursery, where iron rods are piled up blocking the footpath. There has been no planning here at all.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has constructed a footpath but an entire electric box blocks the way. Other parts are either at the mercy of encroachers or dug up.

I have to walk in between the traffic, because after the footpath, there are vehicles parked in first lane. This constant up and down between the footpath and the road makes me anxious – I might twist my ankle or foot. There is no way that I can walk easy from one to the other end.

BMC seems reluctant to take any action, despite repeated complaints against encroachment and squatters.

Dangers flagged: Squatters make it unsafe for women to walk this path after sunset or early morning. Worse, citizens have to walk in the middle of the road as vehicles are parked in the last lane and footpaths encroached.

HT observation: Lack of urban planning and multi-agency coordination. The electric and MTNL boxes are on the footpath, blocking it completely. In some spots, the footpath is like a side slope, making it dangerous for pedestrians.

Chetana Thakker, 38, choreographer

Route:Mulund West: From MG Road to LBS via Bhakti Marg

My experience: I walk from MG Road, where I live, to my dance class on Bhakti Marg Road, every day. I encounter a nullah after 500 meters towards LBS Road, garbage is dumped near the compound adjacent to the nullah, and ahead of this is a mound of material for construction, brought here for roadwork a few months ago.

As a result of all this, one has to cross over to the other side, which is again encroached by vegetable vendors. Vehicles are parked on the road, nullifying another option.

Dangers flagged: Despite several complaints to the civic body, the debris on the footpath in Bhakti Marg has not been cleared. We have not encountered accidents yet, but it is just a matter a time.

HT observation: The path is crowded with hawkers, who have also claimed the footpath. Senior citizens step out before vendors set up their makeshift shops in the morning or after they leave the space in the night. The footpath adjacent to the main road in Bhakti Marg is in a poor condition – there is no smooth concrete path suitable for walking.

Aashish Kamble, 37, an employee in a logistics firm

Route: Vikhroli East: From old Vikhroli Police Station to Abhay International School

My experience: Many building projects are on in Kannamwar Nagar, an area located in Vikhroli East. The developers have taken over the nearby footpath; in fact, one of them has set up an office in a container on the footpath opposite the Kannamwar Nagar BEST depot. There are two buildings coming up in front of Abhay International School, in Kannamwar Nagar, a kilometre from the highway. The footpath is blocked there and locals have been complaining about the malaise since several months. I have also tagged BMC commissioner, Iqbal Singh Chahal, on a Twitter post, but no action has been taken.

Dangers flagged: The construction in front of the schools is a distraction for the students. Apart from this, citizens are forced to walk on the main road due to heavy machinery and construction material placed on the footpath.

HT observation: Kannamwar Nagar is known to be the quietest section of Vikhroli. The road is shaded by trees on both sides. Now, thanks to all the construction work, the area is polluted. The developers do not even sprinkle water intermittently through the day. As a result, children and senior citizens have started suffering from constant cough.

Mahendra Hemdev, 57, businessman

Route: Fort: From Fountain to CSMT bus depot junction on DN Road.

My experience: It is acutely painful to walk this route during rush hours in mornings and evenings. Nights are equally challenging, in the absence of streetlights. Hawkers have set up shops on the footpaths -- a clear indication of the manner in which government agencies are dealing with them. It is ironical, as the BMC is headquartered in CSMT.

Work on Metro-3 adds to the problem.

It is an important road, with no care for pedestrians. Illegal shopkeepers must be evicted.

Dangers flagged: D N Road is an important arterial thoroughfare for motorists and pedestrians. It connects two vital railway stations -- Churchgate and CSMT. People regularly walk on this footpath, as there are MNCs, corporate offices, top-of-the-line restaurants and high-end shops. Work on Metro-3 has eaten up the roads and footpath – the latter is uneven thanks to the many broken tiles with multiple hawkers selling their wares.

HT observation: As walking on the footpath – on the other side of D N Road beginning from Siddharth College -- is a challenge, few use it. The place is badly lit and remains dark even through the day. People are forced to walk on the roads.