The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to undertake Rs 41.83 crore worth of slope stabilisation work at Malabar Hill, near Kamla Nehru Park, following safety concerns around the city’s first elevated forest walkway.
The proposed project is aimed at strengthening the hillside and reducing the risk of rockfalls, soil movement and other hazards around the public infrastructure. Work is expected to begin in October after the monsoon, according to civic officials.
The need for slope protection was identified while the elevated walkway was being constructed in 2022. The BMC had appointed a structural consultant to assess the hillside and recommend measures to improve its stability.
The recommendations included rock support systems, steel mesh, stone-resistant barrier walls, soil grouting and retaining structures.
Consultant Appointed for Stabilisation
The civic body subsequently floated a tender in 2025 to appoint an agency to implement the recommended measures.
“We received bids from six companies, of which Dev Engineers emerged as the lowest bidder,” a senior official said.
Under the planned work, a concrete retaining wall will be constructed and the base of the slope near Kamla Nehru Garden will undergo stabilisation. The overall project is estimated at around ₹41 crore, while the reported financial outlay is Rs 41.83 crore.
Walkway Remains Closed After June Incident
The slope work has gained urgency following an incident on June 12, when a large tree branch collapsed onto the elevated pathway and damaged part of its safety railing. The walkway has remained closed since the incident.
The 482-metre-long and 2.2-metre-wide elevated forest walkway was opened to the public in March 2025 at a cost of around Rs 25 crore. Modelled on Singapore’s elevated walking trails, the project was designed to offer visitors a closer experience of Malabar Hill’s greenery while providing views of Mumbai and Girgaon Chowpatty.
The walkway has entry and exit points near Siri Road.
While the June incident involved a fallen branch, the broader slope-stabilisation programme stems from structural assessments carried out during the walkway’s construction. The BMC is now moving towards implementing those long-pending recommendations.
Once the stabilisation work is completed, it is expected to strengthen the hillside around the walkway and improve safety conditions in the surrounding area. The timing of the walkway’s reopening, however, will depend on the completion of necessary safety assessments and civic action.
The project highlights the additional engineering requirements involved in developing public infrastructure on Mumbai’s steep and densely built hillsides, where slope stability remains an important consideration, particularly during and after the monsoon.
Source: The Indian Express
