Housefull start for Malabar Hill walkway: Over 3,400 people flock site in two days

Indicating a huge demand from visitors, bookings for all the time slots for the day were sold out on the online portal by Monday afternoon.

Nearly four years since the project tender was first awarded, the elevated walkway through the lush greens of Malabar Hill was inaugurated by the Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha Sunday.

While senior officials said that the walkway has a holding capacity of over 400 persons, the BMC has capped entry at 200 persons at a time to prevent overcrowding.

In a bid to regulate the crowd, the civic body launched an online portal for ticket booking, through which visitors can book their one-hour visiting slots to explore the newly opened nature trail.

Data furnished by the BMC showed that while 1,053 people availed the facility and visited the site on Sunday, while the visitors doubled on Monday, on account of the public holiday, when over 2,346 people visited the site.

According to officials, the BMC generated revenue of upto Rs 26,925 from ticket sales on Sunday. Meanwhile, a total amount of Rs 60,300 was collected in revenue on Monday.

The entry ticket is priced at Rs. 25 for visitors, while foreigners will be charged a fee of Rs 100 to book their tickets.

The BMC on Monday said that it has also recorded several advance ticket registrations for time slots for the upcoming days.

Offering a walk through the untouched greens of Malabar Hill and unhindered view of the cityscape and the sea, the elevated nature trail is open to the public daily between 5 am and 9 pm.