For over three years, residents of Jogeshwari West have been demanding the construction of a pedestrian footpath along a crucial one-kilometre stretch of Swami Vivekananda Road. The absence of this infrastructure has not only inconvenienced thousands but also placed lives at constant risk — a reality brought into sharp focus after a recent fatal accident in Malabar Hill, where an elderly pedestrian lost her life while walking on the road due to the lack of a footpath.
The contested stretch, between a local hospital and the Amboli BIT Chowky, witnesses intense traffic flow, especially during peak hours. The problem is compounded by the presence of two hospitals and three large schools along the route, collectively serving nearly 15,000 students and hundreds of patients daily. Many of these commuters, including schoolchildren and elderly residents, have no choice but to walk on the main carriageway due to either missing or encroached pavements. Residents say the absence of a continuous, obstruction-free footpath is not merely an inconvenience but a public safety failure. According to a civic official familiar with the matter, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has received multiple complaints over the years regarding the issue. However, while the ward office acknowledged the problem and proposed road widening followed by footpath construction in 2022, no concrete timeline was provided.
In the meantime, the dangers persist. Pedestrians face not only the hazard of speeding vehicles but also the menace of motorcycles and cars that routinely encroach upon whatever little footpath space exists. Urban safety experts note that such encroachments are symptomatic of a broader urban planning gap where pedestrian needs are treated as secondary to motorised traffic. Repeated follow-ups from local citizens have failed to produce visible results. Letters, ward-level complaints, and even formal applications under the Right to Information Act have elicited only generic responses. Civic sources admit that delays are often tied to budget allocations, road engineering challenges, and competing infrastructure priorities.
From a sustainable city perspective, the lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure undermines efforts towards creating equitable and eco-friendly urban mobility systems. International urban design standards emphasise walkability as a core component of a liveable city, yet Mumbai’s pedestrians — who account for a significant share of daily commuters — often face dangerous and inadequate walking conditions. As the debate over infrastructure priorities continues, the urgency of the Jogeshwari footpath case cannot be overstated. For residents, the demand is simple: an accessible, safe, and continuous walkway that safeguards pedestrians and supports the city’s long-term vision for inclusive mobility. Until that is realised, the community remains vulnerable, navigating a daily hazard that could be avoided with timely civic action.
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