The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has redeveloped the space beneath Mumbai’s Princess Street flyover with new footpaths, a landscaped garden, tree plantations, decorative lighting and a large mural, addressing a long-standing shortage of dedicated pedestrian space along the stretch.
The 250-metre redevelopment on Shamladas Gandhi Marg was inaugurated on Tuesday by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker and local legislator Rahul Narwekar under the civic body’s ‘Pedestrian First’ initiative. The project covers the E Road and H Road stretches beneath the flyover, where pedestrians previously had to walk on the carriageway.
The BMC said the problem was particularly severe on H Road, which is around four metres wide. A public toilet, a BMC bank and a solid waste management outpost occupied part of the space beneath the flyover, leaving limited room for people walking through the area and creating difficulties for motorists. The civic body relocated the structures to alternative sites before redeveloping the available space.
A new footpath measuring around 150 metres has been constructed along E Road. On H Road, the project includes a winding pedestrian pathway of approximately 100 metres. The adjoining wall along E Road now carries a 3D mural spread across around 400 square metres, while decorative electric poles have been installed across the full 250-metre stretch.
The open area beneath the flyover has also been converted into a landscaped garden. The BMC said it selected plants that can grow in locations receiving limited sunlight. An automatic drip irrigation system has been installed to maintain the green area, and a multipurpose structure covering around 45 square metres has been built for use as a caretaker’s room, storage space and security post.
The civic body said suggestions from local residents were considered during the project’s planning and execution. Residents discussed the redevelopment with Narwekar, public representatives and civic officials during the inauguration. The event was attended by C and D ward committee chairman Akash Purohit, local corporator Rita Makwana, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Zone 1 Chanda Jadhav and C Ward Assistant Commissioner Sunil Mane.
The BMC is implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. The initiative focuses on removing unauthorised hawkers and encroachments from footpaths to make them accessible and obstruction-free. The Princess Street project adds a formal pedestrian pathway and maintained public space to that broader effort, with the redeveloped area now intended to support walking, landscaping and security beneath the flyover.
