25 July,2025 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika Gondhalekar
Footpath outside WEH station is blocked by vendors and stalls, forcing commuters onto the road. Pics/Nimesh Dave, Atul Kamble
Despite being designed for safe pedestrian exit, footpaths outside Metro Blue Line 1 stations have been overrun by hawkers and food stalls, forcing thousands of commuters to walk on the road, jostle through crowds, or risk standing in traffic. While vendors dominate nearly three-fourths of available pavement space, the remaining stretch is taken up by people queuing for buses or autos, leaving no room for safe pedestrian movement. The result: chaotic, dangerous conditions at some of the city's busiest junctions.
Vehicles parked on footpath outside Asalpha station
Regular Metro users told mid-day that nearly three-fourths of footpaths are now occupied by vendors, with the remaining space taken by people queuing up for autos or office buses. The result: no clear passage for passersby or Metro commuters.
While commuters raise safety and space concerns, hawkers claim they are merely catering to demand. "If people have such a problem, they can stop buying from us or complain. Around 80-90 per cent of our customers are these very commuters. If they stop buying, we'll shut shop and move elsewhere," said Shyamlal Misra, who sells snacks and tea near Marol Metro station.
They also allege that authorities turn a blind eye in exchange for bribes or free food. "Often, we give food or money to the cops so they let us stay. If this is such a big problem, why do hawkers exist on almost every footpath in Mumbai?" said another vendor outside WEH station, requesting anonymity.
Mumbai Hawkers Union president said, "You can't call all hawkers illegal. If they are, why did BMC issue thousands of licences till 2017? And why did the Centre start the PM SVANidhi scheme, under which 1.4 lakh vendors have taken loans to run stalls? They may be unauthorised, but they're not illegal. We're working to regularise them so no one is inconvenienced."
Town vending committee member Vidya Vaidya added, "Every city has a holding capacity. Licences should be granted based on how many hawkers a street can handle, depending on factors like pedestrian flow, road width, nearby workplaces, etc. We've written several letters to the BMC about hawkers under Metro stations." BMC officials did not respond to mid-day's queries before the paper went to press.
Ghatkopar Metro station has two main exits - one directly connected to the suburban railway station and another onto the road adjacent to Platform 1 of the suburban station, known as the Station Road exit. This exit opens right at the entrance of Platform 1 and the bus stop.
Footpath outside Ghatkopar station is blocked by vendors and stalls, forcing commuters onto the road. Pics/Atul Kamble
More often than not, people waiting for buses must stand in line on the road because the footpath is fully occupied by food vendors. The stalls extend several inches onto the walkway, and customers eating in front of them force bus passengers to queue up on the road, within traffic markings.
Chitra Balasara, a commuter who travels daily from her workplace to Ghatkopar and then takes a bus to Amrutnagar, said, "It's always crowded during my travel time, and we have no choice but to stand on the road." She was speaking from Exit Staircase 2B. The bus stop markings, about 10 metres apart, have the railway station exit right between them, leaving no space for a bus line to form.
"We wait on the road with all the traffic and pedestrians. Even on a good day, we stand for over five minutes. Vehicular movement here is slow due to congestion. If the footpath was available, we wouldn't have to risk standing on the road," she added.
Exit 2A faces a similar issue, with people standing on the road despite the presence of a footpath. Those buying food crowd the walkway, and the flow of pedestrian traffic makes it impossible to form orderly bus lines on the footpath, the safer alternative.
Vendors and crowd spill onto the road outside Saki Naka station, causing traffic and chaos. Pics/Atul Kamble
This major junction near hotels and restaurants also has food stalls clogging the footpaths, pushing pedestrians onto the road. Though the bus stop is not directly outside the station exit, crowds from nearby eateries spill over. "I leave work early and catch the Metro to Andheri before rush hour begins. Once it does, the crowd becomes maddening," said a man working nearby, requesting anonymity.
The footpath outside Asalpha station has turned into a makeshift market, making pedestrian movement difficult. Pics/Atul Kamble
While Asalpha station doesn't witness heavy crowds inside, its footpaths underneath are a different story. They are lined with two-wheelers, flower vendors, and food stalls selling snacks like pani puri. Pedestrians often walk on the road to avoid the static crowd in front of these stalls. "I take this route daily. It's so congested that I sometimes walk along the road, just off the footpath. It's dangerous, but I'm not comfortable navigating the tight crowd of people eating," said Shruti Zanke, who lives near Asalpha station.
Jagruti Nagar Metro station has exits on the footpaths as well as on the median. The area sees less traffic and enjoys relatively unobstructed pedestrian movement. "Jagruti Nagar has far more open space compared to Ghatkopar or Marol, which is why I prefer getting down here and taking an auto home. It would be easier to take one from Ghatkopar, distance-wise, but I don't want to get stuck in that crowd," said a commuter who wished to remain anonymous.
Hawkers leave almost no walking space outside the Western Express Highway station. Pics/Nimesh Dave
Though Metro staircases are designed to open directly onto footpaths to help commuters exit safely, the space is reduced due to hawkers. "It's a great idea to land the stairs on the footpath, but now there's hardly any space left because of the food stalls. I first endure the packed local train from Thane to Ghatkopar, then a suffocating Metro ride to reach my office near WEH, and finally, I risk my life walking on the road," said a P&G employee, speaking anonymously.
"The moment we step out of the station, we're pushed straight into traffic," said Vikas Shah, a resident of Andheri who commutes daily to Churchgate. "There's no space to walk. Vendors block the entire footpath, and we constantly bump into people waiting for buses. It's especially dangerous because many vendors cook using gas stoves." Priyanka Ghaisaas shared a frightening experience: "I used to walk on the cramped footpath because it was still safer than navigating traffic. One night, around 9.30 pm, a man touched me inappropriately while squeezing past. Since then, I avoid the footpath and walk on the road, carefully, one step at a time, even though vehicles zoom by."
Hawkers and food stalls take over the footpath outside Chakala Metro station, leaving little space for pedestrians. Pic/Nimesh Dave
Conditions at Chakala station are relatively better, thanks to wider footpaths. However, during peak hours, these walkways benefit bikers more than pedestrians. "There are food stalls here too. But the bigger problem is bikers zipping past us, especially in the evenings when road traffic peaks. On one side, we have food stalls and gas stoves, on the other side, bikers flouting traffic rules," said Bharathi Naidu, who commutes daily between Jagruti Nagar and Chakala.
Footpath near Andheri station is crowded with stalls leaving very little space for others. Pics/Satej Shinde
At Andheri, the exit near the railway parking lot is almost useless due to poor access. "The exit doesn't land on the footpath. We have to cross the parking entrance, where vehicles keep coming and going. Drivers aren't cautious. Then, there are people eating, smoking, and loitering on the footpath, thanks to paan-beedi shops and food stalls," said Ashish Pathak, a local resident.
