In yet another instance of political friction between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration and the elected representatives, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has written to Mumbai’s Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, stating that corporators were not consulted while selecting the footpaths and roads where the BMC is implementing its ongoing ‘Pedestrian First’ policy.

In a letter to Ashwini Bhide on September 17, BJP corporator from Colaba Makarand Narwekar said that two tourist spots in South Mumbai, which witness a high volume of footfall, have not been included as part of the drive.

“Both of these iconic locations – Colaba Causeway and Mahatma Gandhi Road in Kala Ghoda – witness a high volume of daily footfall and are internationally renowned tourist destinations. Unfortunately, due to heavy encroachment by hawkers, there is virtually no space left for pedestrians and tourists to walk safely, causing severe congestion and safety hazards. Making these two iconic roads pedestrian-friendly by clearing the footpaths will significantly boost the global image of Mumbai and ensure public safety,” Narwekar stated in his letter.

Story continues below.
Subscribe to see fewer ads.

Narwekar also urged the BMC administration to actively consult and discuss in future the selection of roads and pedestrians with local corporators before finalising their inclusion in the policy.

“Corporators possess ground-level insight into the daily challenges faced by residents and can provide invaluable inputs on which specific stretches require urgent interventions. Collaborative planning between the administration and local representatives will ensure effective utilisation of resources and will deliver maximum relief to the public,” Narwekar’s letter stated.

Launched in June this year, the ‘pedestrian first’ policy aims to free Mumbai’s footpaths from illegal encroachments to make way for smooth walkability.  As part of the policy, the civic body aims to reclaim more than 300 km of footpaths in Mumbai. So far, the BMC has reclaimed 197 km.

After removing encroachments, the BMC also plans to upgrade existing civic amenities by redesigning the existing roads without altering their shapes.

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile, speaking to , a civic official said these roads were selected based on their recorded footfall.

“This is a pilot project, and in the first phase, the roads that record higher footfall have been included in the plan. Going forward, more roads will be included as the project gets properly streamlined,” an official told Express.