MMRDA orders temporary footpath near Worli elevated connector within 30 days

Pedestrians have struggled because of work on the elevated connector from Worli towards Sewri and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has now ordered the contractor to build a temporary footpath. It is to be completed in 30 days, that is, within a month. Residents' complaint has finally been acknowledged.

Vaibhav Warlikar, a resident, had raised the issue that there was no separate path for pedestrians during construction of the connector. The work has been going on for three to four years. "As no temporary footpath was provided on this stretch, schoolchildren, senior citizens and other pedestrians had to walk outside the construction barricades. Their lives were at risk from moving traffic and construction-related activity," Warlikar said.

Rekha Paul, another resident, pointed to the same problem. "We have been living with this trouble for three to four years. Even though the work has been going on for so long, no proper arrangement was made for pedestrians," Paul said.

The stretch affected by the construction runs from Sacred Heart School in Worli to Century Bazaar in Prabhadevi. After the complaint and the inconvenience to people were brought to its notice, the MMRDA carried out an inspection. After the survey, MMRDA officials visited the site with some residents on October 23.

In a letter sent to residents, the MMRDA said: "With reference to the above subject and correspondence, the authority has taken note of your complaint by email about the absence of a safe path for pedestrians along the entire stretch from Sacred Heart School to Century Bazaar in Worli."

Some measures have been suggested after the inspection. First, the contractor has been told to provide a pedestrian path about one to one-and-a-half metres wide after the ACB work on a ramp on Narayan Hardikar Marg is completed. The contractor has also been told to install protective railings on the proposed pedestrian path wherever needed.

Second, to get more space for the pedestrian path along a stretch of about 40 metres, correspondence will be started with the department concerned to examine whether the setback area of the BEST depot can be used. The proposed measures also say that once the required permissions are obtained and the additional space becomes available, steps will be taken to provide a continuous and safe pedestrian path on the left side.