22 skywalks by year-end

Mumbaiites dodging vehicles and hawkers along crowded roads outside railway stations may soon get some relief, reports HT Correspondent.

Mumbaiites dodging vehicles and hawkers along crowded roads outside railway stations may soon get some relief.

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The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is planning to complete the construction of 22 skywalks across the city by the end of this year.

“We will be opening four skywalks by the end November and 12 other skywalks by December,” Joint Metropolitan Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said.

The MMRDA had planned skywalks as a means of dispersing commuters from outside stations or similar congested areas to locations like bus stops as a means of decongesting streets.

The four skywalks that will be partly thrown open by the end of the year are at Borivli (West), Chembur (West), Ghatkopar (West) and Ulhasnagar (West). The 12 skywalks that will be thrown open, partially or fully, by the end of 2009 include those at Dahisar (East), Virar-(West), Bandra-W, Vidyavihar (West), Grand Road, Santacruz, Kandivli (East) and Bhandup (West).

Commuters are already using fully operational skywalks at Kalanagar, Kanjurmarg, Dahisar and Mira Road.

The MMRDA has planned 58 skywalks in all for Mumbai and is spending at least Rs 1,200 crores to build these structures.

The city’s planning body is hoping to build all these structures by May 2010.