A civic initiative designed to improve accessibility for visually impaired citizens has been undermined in the heart of Mumbai due to repeated illegal parking of two-wheelers. The tactile tiles, laid along the footpath outside the A Ward office in Fort as part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) heritage cell project, have been severely damaged within a year of their installation.
The project, which aligned with the civic body’s “pedestrian first” vision, was aimed at creating safer, barrier-free mobility corridors for all pedestrians, particularly persons with disabilities. The footpath, built adjacent to high-profile establishments including the Reserve Bank of India, was intended to set a model for inclusive urban infrastructure. Instead, misuse of the space has raised questions about enforcement, accountability, and the city’s seriousness in prioritising accessibility. Officials confirmed that while tactile tiles on other stretches such as MG Road and opposite Shahid Bhagat Singh Road remain intact, the specific patch outside the ward office has borne the brunt of daily unauthorised parking. The tiles, designed to carry pedestrian weight, have cracked under the pressure of vehicles repeatedly riding and halting on them. Experts note that once a single tile breaks, surrounding tiles loosen, triggering a chain reaction of damage.
The footpaths, though still under the defect liability period, are unlikely to qualify for free repairs since the damage stems from human interference rather than faulty construction. Repairing them would therefore impose additional costs on the civic body, a burden that could otherwise have been avoided with better enforcement. Civic officials acknowledged that the issue extends beyond mere repairs. They stressed that unless parking enforcement improves, repairs would only be temporary. Letters have been sent to the traffic police to prevent unauthorised parking, but residents argue that visible on-ground action is lacking.
The incident also highlights the fragile balance between heritage preservation, modern accessibility features, and everyday civic discipline. While the city has been pushing for sustainable and pedestrian-friendly mobility, repeated instances of footpath misuse dilute the purpose of such progressive initiatives. For the differently-abled community, who rely heavily on tactile paths for safe navigation, the damage is more than just a civic inconvenience — it is a setback to equitable mobility in India’s financial capital. As Mumbai moves towards reimagining its public spaces for inclusivity and sustainability, this episode underscores an urgent need for stricter enforcement, civic responsibility, and a cultural shift in valuing shared urban infrastructure. Without these, even the most well-intentioned projects risk becoming symbolic rather than transformative.
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