Originally halted by former BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani over execution fears, the civic body is now seeking a push from new commissioner Ashwini Bhide to reclaim city walkways for pedestrians. (Source: File Photo)
For a city afflicted with poor pedestrian infrastructure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan to remodel its footpaths in 2025 came bearing a promise.
Eyeing to boost walkability in the city, the civic body drew up a pilot project to redevelop footpaths across 14 high footfall locations as per the Universal Footpath Policy, in a plan which sought to eventually replicate the model across all Mumbai footpaths.
However, five months since the tender was rolled out in November 2025, the project remains stuck in limbo. The reason: Lack of administrative approvals from the former municipal commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, over concerns of execution.
In a bid to revive the project from the back burner, the civic department concerned is now eyeing to convene a meeting with the new civic chief Ashwini Bhide, with plans to redevelop 16.5 km of footpaths. On April 1, Bhide took charge as the new BMC commissioner following
Gagrani’s retirement after a two-year long stint.
Pegged at a cost of Rs 100 crore which was allocated for ‘Pedestrian Policy’ in the fiscal budget of year 2025-26, the BMC proposal sought to upgrade 16.5 km of footpaths as accessible and encroachment free segments. Data showed that of the 14 locations earmarked for the remodeling, 6.40 km or four locations were planned in the island city division, followed by 5.96 km footpaths encompassing five areas in the eastern suburbs and 4.19 km of footpaths spanning five locations in the western suburbs.
This marked first phase of the pilot project, with officials stating that the objective was to ultimately replicate the improvement model across other footpaths.
Under the scope of the project, the existing footpaths were to be upgraded as per the norms laid down in the BMC’s Universal Footpath Policy which enlist an array of guidelines such even surface, sufficient length and width, and removal of obstructions and encroachments.
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Even as the civic body rolled out the tenders on November 20, 2025, the project faced an administrative jolt over concerns of costs and proper execution flagged by Gagrani.
A senior official, privy to the developments, told The Indian Express, “The former commissioner appreciated the need for the initiative.
However, he raised concerns as to whether the department would be able to execute the project in the right way since other footpaths of the city are also reeling under duress. Since the project was not cleared by the commissioner, the project work is yet to take off on ground.”
Officials, however, maintained that the project has not been scrapped. “While the remodeling plan for footpaths is yet to take off, the project has not been cancelled. We are now planning to approach the new commissioner, Ashwini Bhide, with the plan and seek her insights into the initiative..”
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The lull in developments come even as the Mayor Ritu Tawde has launched an city-wide extensive campaign to remove Bangladeshi and Rohingya hawkers to make Mumbai’s footpaths encroachment free.
As per official estimates, Mumbai is home to nearly 4,000 km of footpaths where at least 51 percent of people resort to walking as a mode of commute.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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