BMC launches survey to find missing links of footpaths in city

Due to lack of maintenance and mismanagement, many footpaths are now damaged with out of place paver blocks and encroachment by hawkers.

Senior BMC officials said footpath improvement is one of the key aspects of a beautification project. (File photo)

As part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) latest plan to beautify the city within three months, the civic body has initiated a survey to locate the missing links of footpaths in Mumbai.

On September 17, the BMC had announced Mumbai Beautification Plan under which it aims to carry out several improvement projects. The civic body has earmarked a Rs 1,700-crore budget for this project — equivalent to its annual budget for road repair works.

The city has a 2,000 km road network that falls under civic jurisdiction. Besides arterial roads and flyovers, all roads in the city have footpaths on both sides.

But due to lack of maintenance and mismanagement, many footpaths are now damaged with out of place paver blocks and encroachment by hawkers.

Senior officials said footpath improvement is one of the key aspects of the beautification project and special attention is being given to transform footpaths into pedestrian-friendly zones.

As part of this procedure, the BMC will create a virtual imagery of the city’s entire footpath network by using a unique GIS mapping system, after which it will superimpose this map with the original ground situation to locate missing footpaths.

“We will track the missing link of footpaths. For example, there is a stretch between point A and point D where we can see that the footpath stretch between A and C is intact but between C and D is entirely damaged. We will track these damaged links to compile data that will be used in filling the missing gaps in the long run,” said a senior official.

Story continues below this ad

At the end of 2018 a similar survey was initiated but was unsuccessful due to technical issues and the project got further delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “In the last two years many missing links of footpaths have also been repaired, so the old data will help us in carrying out a status check as well,” the official added.

Civic officials said after the survey is completed, the data will be handed to the roads department after which repair works will be initiated at the ward level.

Pratip Acharya

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

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
BMC
Mumbai