Changing City: Mumbai’s first elevated forest walkway to be ready by year-end

In a bid to boost tourism and provide city residents with a unique walking experience, the BMC is constructing its first elevated forest walkway in Malabar Hill.

Features

The walkway deck is made of wood and the entire structure relies on minimal usage of concrete to ensure that the natural flow of water through the hill slopes as well as wildlife movement is interrupted.

The entry and exit points of the trail will be at Siri Road, right behind Kamala Nehru Park from where it will extend up to 705 metres within the Malabar Hill forest, providing an unhindered view of the Arabian Sea. The walkway will also have a birdwatching zone and a glass-bottom viewing deck.

Current status, cost and timeline

The walkway is being built at a cost of Rs 25 crore. At present, 90 per cent of the civil works are complete and the BMC intends to open the project to the public around New Year. Ancillary works like electrification, painting, and building restrooms and ticket counters are underway.

The walkway will also have a birdwatching zone and a glass-bottom viewing deck.

The tender for this project was awarded in 2021 for Rs 22 crore and civil works began in 2022. The amount went up to Rs 25 crore after taking into account various taxes, including GST. Considering that Malabar Hill is a silent zone, construction works could be taken up only during limited hours in the day, and hence the project took more than two years.

Administration speaks

“This walkway project will boost tourism and give Mumbaikars a new spot for their morning and evening walks. The path will be wheelchair friendly and will provide an unhindered view of Girgaon Chowpatty and the Arabian Sea. Not a single tree has been cut for constructing this project,” said a senior civic official associated with the project.