Mumbai skywalks: Crores spent on 26 structures, are they serving pedestrians?

The Nana Chowk skywalk, Mumbai’s first such cable-stayed structure, wears a deserted look during peak morning hours on August 20. Pics/Ashish Raje

Mumbai's 26 skywalks, built as a "safer" alternative for pedestrians crossing busy roads, appear to be struggling to justify the crores of public money spent on them. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) alone has spent R286.58 crore on the few skywalks it constructed, while the overall expenditure is likely to be higher if the cost of those built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) - which account for the lion's share of such structures in the city - is added. When mid-day asked the MMRDA how many of the skywalks it had constructed and at what cost, the latter refused to share the information.

A handful of pedestrians use the Borivli West skywalk on SV Road last Thursday morning. Pic/Satej Shinde

[popcorn number="Rs 286.58 cr" desc="Cost of skywalks built solely by BMC" class="Default"]

High costs notwithstanding, only 3,97,600 people use the city's skywalks daily, according to BMC data. Mumbai's population is estimated at around 1.25 crore, according to the 2011 census. Even if only 50 lakh residents are assumed to step out daily for work, education or other purposes, the current usage of these skywalks remains below 10 per cent of that figure.

[popcorn number="26" desc="Total no of skywalks in Mumbai" class="Default"]

Nana Chowk

Pedestrians' main concerns

Height issues

Arshita Shah, Charni Road resident
‘By the time I reach the top, I feel like I have climbed three floors. If I am already tired after travelling or carrying bags, I would rather wait and cross the road than take such a long climb'

A handful of pedestrians use the Borivli West skywalk on SV Road during peak hours on the morning of August 20. Pics/Satej Shinde

Isha Khatu, Borivli resident
‘Skywalks are supposed to make walking easier, but the first challenge is simply reaching them. The number of steps discourages even regular commuters who are tired from climbing the equivalent of several flights of stairs in a building after a long and hectic work day'

Availability of escalators

Ashutosh Revale, Malad resident
‘Only a few skywalks have escalators, and even then you cannot see them being operational many times'

Ashwini Pathak, Wadala resident
‘Commuters should not have to stand and wait or climb stairs because the equipment has stopped working'

No lifts

Olive Dsilva, Wadala resident
‘How is my elderly mother supposed to use the skywalk? Asking her to climb several flights of stairs is simply unrealistic and inhuman. There should have been lifts from the beginning, right from the time the very first skywalk was being constructed. This clearly shows lack of complete will and super lack of vision'

The skywalk in Wadala East. Pic/Shadab Khan

Vaishali G, Borivi resident
‘Have the authorities built these skywalks just for namesake or did they actually have the intention of making it as a facility? More than a facility, these skywalks are turning out to be hurdles in an already-packed city'

Suffocating sheets

Kiara Santis, Andheri resident
‘The sheets on both sides make the skywalk feel like a closed corridor. During summer, it becomes unbearably hot and there is barely any air movement. Plus, the stench of urine and pan makes it difficult to breathe, discouraging even those willing to climb the steps!'

The skywalk in Sion. PIC/ATUL KAMBLE

Arusha Watikar, Ghatkopar resident
‘If someone falls sick or faces an emergency inside, whom are we supposed to call? From below, nobody can easily see or hear what is happening on the skywalk due to sheets. Why can't they put metal nets or grills - similar to ones we put at homes on windows?'

Safety concerns of women

The Bandra East skywalk, which was opened in January. Pic/Shadab Khan

Anjali Rameswaram, Goregaon resident
‘I avoid using the skywalk alone after dark. Poor lighting, people sleeping on the walkway, and secluded stretches make me feel unsafe, particularly when there are very few people around'

Urvaja Saini, Ghatkopar resident
‘Even if the skywalk is technically safer than crossing the road, it does not feel safe when there are dark corners, people urinating or sleeping there, and no visible security presence. Also, not all skywalks have CCTVs fitted; even if they are, they mostly do not work; even if they work, we do not know who is monitoring them and if anyone will actually immediately reach us if they notice any malicious activity. Besides, none of the skywalks has SOS or emergency buttons or lines connected to police control rooms'

The skywalk in Ghatkopar. PIC/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR

No facilities for the disabled

Ramesh Sartape, a wheelchair-bound resident of Goregaon
‘People talk about making cities accessible, but these skywalks seem to have been designed only for people who can climb stairs. A wheelchair user is practically excluded'

Jayashree Jadhav, a wheelchair-bound resident of Mahalaxmi
‘Accessibility should not be an post-construction afterthought. If new skywalks are being built without proper ramps or lifts, past mistakes are simply being repeated'

Poor maintenance

Nayana Jog, Grant Road resident
‘What matters is how a skywalk is maintained. Broken surfaces, dirty corners, and damaged facilities discourage people from using it'

Shashank Phadnis, Grant Road resident
‘Authorities spend crores building these structures but seem to forget about regular upkeep. If a facility is dirty, poorly lit, or damaged, people will naturally avoid it'

Problems

>> Large number of stairs to ascend
>> No lifts and escalators
>> Safety concerns, especially for women
>> Claustrophobic feeling owing to metal sheets
>> No facilities for the differently abled
>> Poor maintenance

Solutions

>> Install functional escalators, ramps and/or lifts at all entry and exit points
>> Provide uniform LED lighting, CCTV coverage, regular police/security patrols, emergency help points and strict action against encroachment and nuisance activity
>> Install metal nets or grills instead of current completely closed sheets
>> Facility for the differently abled
>> Dedicated maintenance contract with clearly defined service-level standards, regular inspections, and penalties for errant agencies

‘BMC can look at some issues'

Abhijit Bangar, additional commissioner, projects, BMC
‘Many things should have been done. But most skywalks were constructed by MMRDA and later handed over to us, so not much was in our hands. But maintenance and planning of upcoming skywalks is something that can be looked at'

Experts Views

Vedant Mhatre, programme manager, Walking Project
‘The foremost problem is poor planning, followed by pathetic maintenance. Also, the arms of most of the skywalks do not land at places where most residents of a specific area wish to go. For instance, the Borivli West skywalk is parallel to railway platforms 1, 2 and 3. Most commuters who live in the west wish to go towards IC Colony, Shimpoli, etc. None of the arms reaches these areas'

Ashok Datar, veteran transport expert and chairman, Mumbai Environment Social Network
‘Skywalks are a part of a larger topic - mobility. At present, the focus is on encouraging car owners. They want to make signal-free roads and push pedestrians onto the skywalks. But at the same time, they forgot the basic need to make these skywalks usable. And now they stand empty in an already-space-crunched city. Escalators, lifts, security, illumination, entry and exit points at suitable locations - a common man without architecture and planning knowledge also knows these are important. It's not that authorities don't understand things; it's more like they don't want to'.