06 August,2026 01:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/Special Arrangement
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun implementing its 'Pedestrian First' campaign across Mumbai, with Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directing civic officials to remove unauthorised hawkers, encroachments and other obstructions from footpaths to ensure they remain accessible and safe for pedestrians.
As part of the campaign, Bhide on Thursday conducted an on-site inspection in the K West and P South administrative wards in the city's western suburbs to assess the progress of the drive and review the condition of footpaths in key locations.
The inspection covered the stretch connecting Swami Vivekanand Road (S.V. Road) to Cooper Hospital through Ram Ganesh Gadkari Road in Vile Parle (West), a corridor that witnesses heavy pedestrian movement throughout the day. The route is frequently used by patients, ambulances and visitors travelling to Cooper Hospital, as well as a large number of college students and local residents.
According to the civic administration, the road has been identified as a priority location under the campaign because of its importance as a public access route and the need to ensure unobstructed pedestrian movement.
During the visit, the Municipal Commissioner inspected footpaths along Ram Ganesh Gadkari Road and S.V. Road and reviewed the ongoing work to remove encroachments from public walkways.
The first phase of the 'Pedestrian First' campaign aims to clear encroachments from 320 kilometres of footpaths across Mumbai. The initiative is intended to improve pedestrian mobility, enhance road safety and make public walkways more accessible for all users.
In K West Ward, the civic body has identified 27 roads for action in the first phase out of a total of 355 roads. The selected roads cover 37.7 kilometres of footpaths where encroachments and other obstructions are being removed.
During the inspection, Bhide instructed officials to immediately remove unauthorised hawkers, illegal encroachments and any other obstacles that hinder pedestrian movement. She also directed civic staff to undertake improvements to footpath infrastructure, including repairs, maintenance and beautification works, while ensuring that pedestrian safety remains a priority.
The BMC has stated that the campaign is aimed at creating obstruction-free footpaths and improving accessibility across the city through coordinated action by civic departments.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Zone 4) Dr. Bhagyashree Kapase, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Commissioner's Office) Prashant Gaikwad, Assistant Municipal Commissioner (P South Ward) Kundan Walvi and other BMC officials were present during the inspection.
