The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to overhaul footpaths along 30 major roads in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, with work expected to begin in October after the monsoon season.
The redevelopment programme covers roads across Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg, Nahur and Mulund. The initiative follows a first phase in which illegal encroachments were removed from the selected stretches. The next phase will focus on redesigning and rebuilding the existing pedestrian infrastructure.
The 30 roads, spread across three civic administrative wards, include routes near markets, railway stations, schools and bus stops, where pedestrian movement is generally high.
Integrated Footpath Design Planned
BMC officials said the removal of encroachments revealed several permanent and temporary obstructions that were restricting walking space. These included transformers, fire hydrants and authorised hawker stalls such as the Aarey Milk Store.
Assistant Municipal Commissioner Yogita Kolhe said that in several locations, drains had been covered and footpaths constructed over them, leaving pedestrians with limited usable space.
To address these constraints, the civic body has prepared an integrated pedestrian design with the assistance of urban planners. Under the proposed layout, footpaths will have a minimum width of two metres, while uneven surfaces will be replaced with a more uniform pavement.
Junctions and Traffic Islands to Be Reworked
The redevelopment will also cover traffic islands and junction areas near railway stations and major intersections. These spaces will be redesigned to improve pedestrian movement and make better use of the available road width.
The objective is to create a more continuous walking route from railway stations and markets to residential areas and nearby public transport facilities such as bus stops.
Road Markings to Discourage Parking
The BMC’s Roads Department has also proposed installing barriers between footpaths and carriageways, along with road markings intended to discourage unauthorised parking.
The works will include road concretisation and construction or reconstruction of sidewalks according to the newly finalised design.
Officials said the model developed for these 30 roads could eventually be extended to other parts of Mumbai in phases.
Focus on Continuous Pedestrian Movement
The project is designed to address a recurring issue in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs: pedestrians often have to navigate narrow or obstructed footpaths, forcing them to share space with vehicles.
By removing physical obstacles, standardising walking surfaces and improving junction layouts, the BMC aims to create safer and more continuous pedestrian corridors.
The redevelopment is scheduled to begin after the monsoon, with October identified as the start of construction. Once implemented across the selected roads, the approach could serve as a template for upgrading pedestrian infrastructure in other civic areas of Mumbai.
Source: Nav Bharat
