Mumbai: Santacruz residents start getting their footpaths back

Workers laying the new footpath after completion of underground works

In a welcome relief for Santacruz residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun restoring footpaths across the neighbourhood as the ongoing Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) work nears completion in phased pockets. A few days ago, the civic body began reinstating the footpath along Road No. 3 in TPA Scheme VI, marking one of the first stretches to be fully returned to pedestrian use.

For months, residents in Santacruz West had been grappling with narrowed roads, dug-up pathways, barricaded stretches, and traffic disruptions caused by various civic works, including STP-related pipeline installations, underground civil works and road concreting works. The project - part of the larger Mumbai Sewage Disposal Programme (MSDP) - aims to upgrade the city's outdated sewer network and improve long-term waste management. However, its execution across residential lanes of Santacruz had raised concerns about safety, walkability, and prolonged public inconvenience.

"The BMC is committed to restoring every footpath that has been affected due to the various road works. As each section is completed, reinstatement will follow immediately. Road No. 3 is the first example, and work at other locations will be taken up in the same manner," said Dinesh Pallewad, officer, H West ward.

The entrance to Bageshree Society has been blocked, and a plank has been placed to provide access. PICS/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR

Residents, who had repeatedly raised concerns during the peak construction period, expressed cautious optimism. Several locals, especially senior citizens and children who walk to nearby schools and markets, had pointed out that the lack of functional footpaths forced them onto traffic-heavy lanes, increasing the risk of accidents.

"It is reassuring to see the BMC finally return the space to pedestrians. For months, we managed with broken paths and scattered debris. If works are completed and restored in phases like this, it will reduce the inconvenience," said Ajit Ajgaonkar, a resident of Aaradhana Society, located adjacent to Road No. 3.

However, some residents are still not confident of whether the civic body's efforts will be consistent. "The work is going on at snail's pace. We still cannot take our cars out. If this had been managed better with clearer communication on how many days the work would go on, the residents of our society would have arranged to keep their cars somewhere outside the area. Our society has just one gate for entry and exit. The plank that they put so that we can go out and come in is also being used to take our two-wheelers out. It's quite risky," said Mahendra Chheda, secretary of Bageshree Society, the one affected the most due to the ongoing works.

Adding to him, another committee member, Sanjay Patkar from the same housing society, questioned, "Why does the BMC only hear when the residents or media make noise? Do we have to beg for every single facility which the corporation is supposed to provide us, even when we are loyal taxpayers? Residents needing to speak up for some unusual or a specific problem is understandable, but it's just not acceptable that we have to fight for something as basic and as obvious as footpaths, which again is a mandate as per our so-called ‘pedestrian-friendly policy'."

Meanwhile, civic officials have stated that contractors are now mandated to reinstate footpaths and roads immediately after underground work is completed, rather than waiting for the entire project to finish - an approach adopted to minimise long-term civic disruption.

"We have been told that once all underground works are done and utility pipelines are installed, we must close the space and build a footpath. So, as work in each patch finishes, we immediately start footpath work in that particular patch. We are being careful to ensure the footpath is made only once all underground works are done, so that there is no need to dig it again," said one of the supervisors appointed by the contractor.

‘Move reassuring'

Ajit Ajgaonkar, Aaradhana Society resident
‘It is reassuring to see the BMC finally return the space to pedestrians. If works are completed and restored in phases like this, it will reduce the inconvenience'

Mahendra Chheda, secretary, Bageshree Society
‘We still cannot take our cars out. If there had been clearer communication on how many days the work would go on, the residents of our society would have arranged to keep their cars elsewhere'

Sanjay Patkar, committee member, Bageshree Society
‘Residents needing to speak up for some unusual or a specific problem is understandable, but it's just not acceptable that we have to fight for something as basic and as obvious as footpaths'