Untamed vegetation, lack of exits, broken drain lid plague pavement connecting Oberoi Mall and Aarey Metro station; while the pavement is wide and unbroken, low-hanging branches and creepers hit upright pedestrians in the face
Pedestrians opt to walk on the busy Western Express Highway instead of the pavement
The footpath along a segment of the Western Express Highway (WEH) between Oberoi Mall and Aarey station on Mumbai Metro Red Line 7 in Goregaon East is shunned by most pedestrians. While the pavement is wide and unbroken, low-hanging branches and creepers hit upright pedestrians in the face.
Raj Kumar Jamadar, who resides near the Metro station and uses the footpath daily to travel to work, said, “it is difficult to walk on this path, I mostly walk on the highway while making sure to avoid traffic; but this is dangerous because people driving on the WEH do not expect random people to be walking on the side of the road, and if anyone swerves to the side, they can inadvertently hit us.”
When this reporter walked on the footpath, which is approximately 550 metres in length, she noticed that her fellow pedestrians were mostly male, whereas women preferred to walk on the highway.
Tree branches, dead and alive, hang over the footpath in Goregaon East. Pics/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
“For women, it is more dangerous to walk on the footpath, as the stretch has only three exit points, two at either end and one midway. This makes many uncomfortable because if someone or an animal were charging at them, they can’t escape because of the fence, and they wouldn’t be able to see the person or beast in the first place due to the overgrown trees,” Jamadar added.
A broken drain lid is another obstacle. Ganesh Pawar, who takes the route daily, pointed out the hole, saying, “It is big enough for someone’s foot to get stuck in it if they don’t look where they are walking. As many don’t even use the footpath, no such accidents have occurred. Nonetheless, the problem needs fixing.” While the terrain, in general, appeared challenging for senior citizens, the differently abled, and those with knee issues, pavement blocks had been uprooted, with weeds growing in their place, creating a tripping hazard.
Santosh Jain, a pedestrian, who this reporter noticed walking on the highway instead of the footpath, explained his actions, saying, “I saw the overgrown trees and knew that walking on the pavement would be difficult.” If the authorities properly maintained the vegetation, this footpath would be one of the best for pedestrians.”
Santosh Jain, pedestrian
Many other pedestrians echoed these sentiments. “The trees are growing the only way they know. It is on us to ensure that trees, which are essential, get a chance to grow properly. Cutting them is not always the solution,” said a pedestrian, requesting anonymity.
Official Speak
When mid-day contacted the BMC’s P South ward office to ask why maintenance work wasn’t being carried out, Ward Officer Aniruddha Kulkarni said, “The plants that are growing out onto the footpath are from private properties that are overgrown. We have informed the department concerned in our ward, and action will be taken to address the plants and the hole in the drain lid soon.” He added, “We will either serve a notice to the private properties about the trees, or clean them up ourselves, and fine them.”
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