Beautifying footpaths at 33 locations on BMC’s cards

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to beautify footpaths of around 90-km stretch in island city including central Mumbai. Under this plan, the paver blocks will be removed to make way for the cement concrete surface of the pavements.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to beautify footpaths of around 90-km stretch in island city including central Mumbai. Under this plan, the paver blocks will be removed to make way for the cement concrete surface of the pavements.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to beautify footpaths of around 90-km stretch in island city including central Mumbai. Under this plan, the paver blocks will be removed to make way for the cement concrete surface of the pavements.

Under this project, footpaths at 33 locations including Dadar, Churchgate, Marines Lines, Colaba, Kemps Corner, Walkeshwar have been identified in the island city and central Mumbai.

According to civic officials, most of these footpaths have paver block surfaces, because of which the civic body had faced criticism, as the blocks would come off due to sub-standard work and the surface would remain uneven. Under the new plan, the surface would be made of cement. The BMC will install road signages and pedestrian-friendly signages besides taking measures to make it convenient for the disabled citizens. It has also included maintenance work of manholes and stormwater drains along with surfacing a few of the roads along with footpaths. The cumulative cost adding the above is around ₹50 crore.

The project to beautify the footpaths at five locations in the city will be taken up on the line of the improved footpaths around the Fort area in south Mumbai. The BMC floated bids for the same on Thursday and the last date to submit bids for the contractors is October 28.

Earlier, a month ago, the BMC had passed a ₹69 crore proposal to beautify footpaths at Lady Jehangir Marg from St Joseph Circle near Wadala station to Ruia College; Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Marg from Diamond Garden to Chembur railway station; Sant Gyaneshwar Mandir Road and RKP Road in Bandra (East); and MG Road at Goregaon etc.

However, corporators have criticised the plan.

Ravi Raja, leader of Opposition and BMC corporator said, “Spending huge sum of money on the conversion of footpaths from paver blocks to cement is the sheer wastage of money. On one hand, BMC cries of fund shortage and here they will spend so much on footpaths. Our roads are in a very bad shape and they more focus.”

Meanwhile, Prabhakar Shinde, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator and group leader of BJP in BMC said, “Our objection is simple even now and earlier, that if BMC wants to beautify footpaths, it should do it across the city. Why pick and choose areas? Also, BMC is appointing consultants for the design of these footpaths despite having in-house engineers. This is not spending money wisely.”