Civic authorities maintained that besides having offline ticket counters, the Malabar Hill walkaway will have options available for online ticketing. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is gearing up to open the city’s first forest walkway next month at Malabar Hill, the civic authorities have come up with a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure effective crowd management and smooth visitor experience at the spot.
Visitors will have to book a slot online before visiting the walkway, which can accommodate a maximum load of 400 persons, according to civic officials who maintained that safety is of utmost importance as the walkway is an elevated structure, passing through the forest.
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“Once the full capacity is reached, no new visitors will be allowed on the walkway, unless a sizeable number exits. The SOP is being chalked out to make sure that there is no overcrowding on the walkway,” said an official.
Built at a cost of Rs 25 crore, the Malabar Hill walkway is inspired from Singapore’s elevated forest walkways, which are popular crowd-pullers. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
Civic authorities maintained that besides having offline ticket counters, there will be options available for online ticketing, through which citizens can book their slots before visiting the walkway.
“There will also be restrictions on carrying food items at the walkway as there are monkeys inside the forest. Visitors will be only allowed to carry water bottles,” said the official.
Built at a cost of Rs 25 crore, the Malabar Hill walkway is inspired from Singapore’s elevated forest walkways, which are popular crowd-pullers. This walkway will provide an unhindered view of the Arabian Sea as well as the island city’s skyline, traversing through the Malabar Hill forest extending from Kamala Nehru Park and extending till the woods of Doongerwadi.
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The Malabar Hill walkway’s deck is made of wood and the entire structure is constructed with minimum concrete to ensure natural flow of water through the hill slopes remains uninterrupted and wildlife movement is not affected. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
The walkway deck is made of wood and the entire structure is constructed with minimum concrete to ensure natural flow of water through the hill slopes remains uninterrupted and wildlife movement is not affected.
The entry and exit points of the trail will be from Siri Road, behind the Kamala Nehru Park from where the walkway will extend up to 705 metres through the forest. The walkway will also have a birdwatching zone and a glass bottom viewing deck.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
