Mumbai’s skywalks, built at a cost of around Rs 900 crore to improve pedestrian safety, are increasingly falling into disuse due to poor maintenance, incomplete construction and lack of security. Commuters—especially women—report unsafe conditions, including dark stretches, broken escalators and presence of anti-social elements
Garbage is strewn on the Sion skywalk, which residents say is barely used by pedestrians. PIC/ATUL KAMBLE
Mumbai’s skywalks — envisioned as safe and efficient pedestrian corridors — are increasingly failing to serve their purpose, especially for women. About 37 of them were built in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in multiple phases, including those at far-off places like Badlapur, Ambarnath and Kalyan, at a total cost of around Rs 900 crore.
The Cotton Green skywalk, which lacks illumination. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
But incomplete construction, poor maintenance, and lack of security have rendered many of these structures underutilised and, in many cases, unsafe. Commuters, especially women, report issues ranging from non-functional escalators and broken lighting to the presence of anti-social elements in poorly lit stretches.
While some sections remain usable during peak hours, the absence of consistent monitoring, accessibility features, and basic upkeep raises serious concerns about their viability. mid-day went on the ground to do a reality check of seven skywalks, built at a cost of Rs 211 crore.
1. Grant Road
Voices
Avantika Biswas, Nana Chowk resident
‘I live in a second-storey apartment, which is on the same level as the skywalk. Once, when I was returning home late at night from Grant Road station, I encountered drunk men lying on the skywalk. It felt unsafe, but there were a few other people, so I didn’t panic and simply rushed home. The skywalk can’t be called completely safe’
The skywalk at Nana Chowk, Grant Road. PICS/ASHISH RAJE
An elderly resident
‘‘I had come to see the skywalk when it first opened, but the escalators had stopped working a few days later. We hoped that the authorities would fix this as soon as possible, but the issue has persisted. While 20 years ago, I would have easily walked up the steps, right now, at the age of 68, it is not the best option; hence. I choose to use the road below the walkway instead’
Problems
>> Dysfunctional escalators
>> Riddled with cigarette butts and alcohol bottles
>> One low-hanging electrical box
>> Privacy boards not in place
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 5048
Present status
Partly completed
Original date of completion December 10, 2009
2. Cotton Green
The poorly lit Cotton Green skywalk. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
Voices
Runali Kanjar resident
‘I have been using the skywalk since its opening in 2010. Lights in the portion from the station entrance to the Gopal Mahadev Naik Chowk don’t work. In the evenings, the skywalk is completely dark and is full of drunks. While that stretch is unsafe for everyone, the portion from the station till the Kala Chowkie police station exit is well lit and is the most used section. We do see bottles of alcohol lying around sometimes, but they are picked up by BMC workers almost every two days.”
A young female resident,
‘I don’t use the skywalk unless it is morning. Once it gets dark, regardless of whether there are any drunk people around or not, an almost 200-metre unlit portion is unsafe for everyone’
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 3777
Present status
Partly completed
Original date of completion October 28, 2010
3. Santacruz East
The eastern portion of the Santacruz skywalk. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE
Voices
Ivan Pais, Santacruz East resident
‘Men drink and sleep there is no roof over a part of the skywalk. There are no functional CCTV cameras, and drug use and prostitution happen at night. All of these could be avoided with CCTV monitoring and police patrolling. The reason we have lights on the skywalk is that we complained multiple times. All we need is the roof and patrolling to make this a safer space’
Problems
>> Majority of the light fixtures don’t work
>> Used for illegal and anti-social activities
>> Broken tiles and exposed concrete in some places
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 3777
Present status
Partly completed
Original date of completion October 28, 2010
4. Santacruz West
The western side of the Santacruz skywalk. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE
Voices
Anna Tony, Santacruz West resident
‘The part from SV Road to the entrance of the railway station is well lit and is always crowded, hence it has never felt unsafe for me to use. I have come late at night via train and used the skywalk as well. There are some hawkers as well as people who sleep there at night, but I have never felt unsafe on the skywalk’
Problems
>> Lack of roof
>> Hawkers
>> Anti-social elements
>> No security arrangements
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 2567.96
Present status
Completed
Original date of completion May 13, 2009
5. Ghatkopar West
A vagrant lies face down on the Ghatkopar West skywalk. PIC/ATUL KAMBLE
Voices
Nayana Gondhale,
‘Things are fine during peak hours, but it’s scary after 10 pm. The hawkers are gone, the footfall is lower than usual, and there are homeless and drunk people lying around. I usually call up friends or relatives while using the skywalk just in case, as prevention is better than cure’
Urvaja Saini,
‘It’s quite lonely to climb up the skywalk. Only having sufficient illumination is not enough. There are no emergency buttons or security personnel in case someone needs help. No woman can ever think of walking through this skywalk all alone late at night. Public infrastructure must be safe for the public’
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 1393
Present status
Completed
Original date of completion May 16, 2009
Unique struggle
Jayashree Jadhav, a wheelchair user, told mid-day, “Though a few skywalks have escalators, none of them has lifts. Even today, no public infrastructure is built keeping us in mind. Roads are potholed, and infrastructure that is higher than ground level is not accessible at all
6. Sion East
Voices
Nandini Keluskar,
‘I have never seen this skywalk in use since it was built. There isn’t any work that can be seen being done either. This entire area feels unsafe for women as the skywalk is unusable and the road leading to the station is not appropriately illuminated’
Muskan Rathore,
‘If the skywalk isn’t in use, why are its entrances not shut? Women don’t need to be attacked only if they climb up on their own. What if someone is taken upstairs forcefully by someone intoxicated? No one would ever learn about any untoward incident that can potentially happen.’
Problems
>> Skywalk is basically unused
>> Generally unsafe for women
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 2092
Present status
In progress
Original date of completion February 23, 2010
7. Borivli West
Voices
Falguni Ketkar,
‘Can we even call it a skywalk for pedestrians? It feels more like a shelter for the homeless. Their fighting and anti-social activities make one reluctant to use the structure. The lighting is insufficient. Skywalks across the city must have security guards’
Anjali Ramchandran,
‘I have used this skywalk just once, when returning from college a few years ago. The darkness was terrifying. Since then, I haven’t used it at all, and I also tell my loved ones to avoid it, especially after dark. Some portions feel more like a horror movie set. On the road below, you have to deal with crowds containing perverts who try to touch women inappropriately’
Problems
>> Poor lighting
>> Anti-social elements
>> Lack of security
Contract cost (in lakh) Rs 3373.82
Present status
Partly completed
Original date of completion May 9, 2009
Official Speak
Additional Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar. FILE PIC/SATEJ SHINDE
Additional Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar told mid-day that keeping the skywalks safe, especially for women, has been a challenge. “There is no doubt that illumination is of utmost importance, and we try to provide it and respond immediately to related complaints. The biggest nuisance is anti-social elements, and security personnel are needed. Considering the BMC’s limited human resources and funds, it has not been possible to appoint them. The only possible solution so far is to give annual maintenance contracts to private players. However, there hasn’t been any positive outcome so far in this regard,” he said.
The official added, “Skywalks have been successful only at places with heavy footfall; constructing them without any thought across the city is not the smart thing to do. This needs to be kept in mind moving ahead. We have realised that women prefer walking on crowded streets to using secluded skywalks. Thus, constructing proper footpaths with proper signalling facilities is the better option, especially in places with low footfall.”
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