BMC clears 68 km of footpaths under first phase of ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign

MUMBAI: The BMC has cleared around 68 km of footpaths across 81 stretches in the first 14 days of its ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign as it intensifies its drive against encroachments and other obstructions that force pedestrians onto roads

MUMBAI: The BMC has cleared around 68 km of footpaths across 81 stretches in the first 14 days of its ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign as it intensifies its drive against encroachments and other obstructions that force pedestrians onto roads. The campaign aims to create safe, continuous and obstruction-free pedestrian pathways.

In the first phase, the BMC has identified 200 footpaths for action, with work having commenced on 81. Between August 1 and 14, the civic body carried out 337 eviction drives, including the demolition of 77 unauthorised structures and removal of 112 illegal hawkers. It also removed 49 units of street furniture, 63 units of storage materials, 27 shop boards, 14 signboards and 49 banners from footpaths. Eight footpaths were repaired, while eight unauthorised parking spaces created on footpaths were removed.

The drive comes amid growing concerns about pedestrian safety and Mumbai’s deteriorating walking infrastructure. According to the BMC, nearly 50% of daily travel in Mumbai is undertaken on foot. However, broken or uneven footpaths, hawker obstructions, parked vehicles, unauthorised ramps, storage material, hoardings and other obstructions often force pedestrians onto roads.

In the first phase, priority has been given to areas around railway and metro stations, bus stops, hospitals, schools, colleges, markets and religious places, which see heavy pedestrian movement.

The campaign also targets obstructions beyond unauthorised hawking. Licensed vendors have been instructed to operate strictly within designated spaces while unauthorised ramps, outward-opening gates, improperly maintained trees, broken stretches and level differences are also being addressed.

The BMC has promised that at least 90% of footpaths in every ward will be inspected every month. Assistant commissioners will conduct inspections while wards will submit weekly reports with details of action and before-and-after photographs. Deputy municipal commissioners will verify these reports and the additional municipal commissioner (AMC) will conduct fortnightly reviews.

Avinash Dhakne, AMC, Eastern Suburbs, told HT that the drive would continue even if obstructions and hawkers returned repeatedly. “Even if obstructions and hawkers return 10 times, we will remove them,” he said.

Dhakne added that action had also been taken against eligible hawkers who occupied more space than allotted to them. “I am of the firm opinion that their licences should be suspended if they are found setting up their businesses beyond what is allotted to them,” he said. “For the benefit and livelihood of a few, we cannot put pedestrians across the city at stake. The civic administration is carrying out continuous monitoring to ensure that the situation does not return to what it was earlier.”

Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association, welcomed the civic action but stressed the need for consistency. “We don’t want this to be done for some time and then stopped. We want it to be a consistent exercise,” he said.

Makkar, however, said the biggest obstacle to sustaining the drive was the alleged nexus between encroachers and officials. “A lot of palms are greased so that these structures and hawkers can encroach on the streets,” he remarked. “Until that nexus is broken, it seems difficult for this to be sustained.”