BMC launches drive to clear 320 km of footpaths

Underscoring the importance of the drive, on Monday BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that since nearly 50% of daily trips by Mumbaikars are made on foot, officials should make the task a top priority.

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a citywide campaign, titled Pedestrian First, to remove encroachments and make footpaths safe and obstacle-free. Ward officers have been asked to roll out the drive immediately. 320 kilometers of footpaths will be cleared in the first phase.

BMC launches drive to clear 320 km of footpaths

Underscoring the importance of the drive, on Monday BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that since nearly 50% of daily trips by Mumbaikars are made on foot, officials should make the task a top priority.

Under the campaign, unauthorized hawkers, construction material, debris, abandoned or improperly parked vehicles, garbage heaps and other obstructions on footpaths will be removed. The drive will focus on areas with heavy pedestrian movement, including schools, hospitals, railway stations, metro stations, bus depots and markets.

Bhide has instructed all ward officers to conduct daily inspections of footpaths and ensure anti-encroachment drives are implemented effectively. They have also been asked to prevent encroachments from recurring and submit daily progress reports with before-and-after photographs.

Deputy commissioners will review the campaign weekly at the zonal level, while additional municipal commissioners will conduct reviews every 15 days. Any misstep by officers will invite punitive action, she said.

The commissioner also directed officials to remove unauthorized advertisement boards, hoardings, non-functional ramps and other physical obstacles that obstruct pedestrians.

Licensed vendors have been instructed to confine their stalls, storage and display boards to their designated spaces. Tree branches obstructing footpaths will be trimmed, while new footpaths will be constructed according to standard designs using M-40 grade concrete. The use of paver blocks or stamped concrete has been prohibited.

Urich Kamath, co convenor of MNCDF Citizen Welfare Forum (Mumbai North Central District Forum) said the policy has been in place for a long time, but has not been effective. “The civic body seems to have relaunched the policy – so we will have to see what changes this brings about. The grievance redressal has to be robust to make sure this policy is implemented effectively,” he said.