Mumbai's Pedestrian Paradox
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According to the recent [and Institute, an independent organisation may be required in some areas, but the only] comprehensive transport working on urban planning issues. 1 these should not be replicated all over. survey (CTS) 2005-08 of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Whereas MMRDA is going Skywalks Authority (MMRDA), over 52 per cent full force in implementing various Skywalk is an elevated walk of Mumbaikars make their average infrastructure projects in Mumbai, way dedicated to the pedestrians. daily trips by walking. Another 25 per such as Metro rail, monorail, sea links, It connects the railway station/high cent use the local trains, whereas 12 expressways, flyovers, etc, providing concentration commercial area with the per cent average daily trips are made basic pedestrian infrastructure such as destination points where concentration through public transport buses. And footpaths is not on its agenda. No wonder of pedestrians prevails. The purpose in sharp contrast to these figures, the then that the new business districts of of skywalks is efficient dispersal of share of private vehicles’ (read cars) the city have no provision for walking. commuters from station/congested area in percentage average trips per day is “Business districts like Powai, Bandra- to strategic locations viz. bus stops, taxi barely 3 per cent. Mumbai thus clearly Kurla Complex, Andheri East, Mindspace stands, shopping areas, off roads etc. and seems to be having an edge over in Malad, etc. have been developed vice versa.Keeping these facts in mind, the other Indian motorized cities. only for people who come in their fast MMRDA has planned 50 skywalks in the moving cars. There is no provision for entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region at This jubilation, however, is pedestrians. Even though footpaths have a total estimated cost of Rs 600 crore. short lived because a close look at been provided in some places, these In Mumbai, these skywalks dot city’s Mumbai’s street realities and its transport do not connect or integrate with the entire skyline. For instance, skywalks are planning process exposes the manner other parts of the city. Hence they do proposed in Parel, Kurla, Goregaon, Vile in which the concept of walkability is not enhance walkability,” says Joshi. 2 Parle, Andheri (E), Andheri (W), Kandivali, being systematically eroded from the Grant Road, CST to Church Gate, Dadar, city’s collective conscience. “Historically, Urban planners and architects Chembur, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Malad, 1 Pankaj Joshi 2009, Mumbai’s Mumbai is known for its well-paved claim that the state government is Santa Cruz, Dahisar, etc. Name any executive director, Urban footpaths. For instance, south Mumbai’s working against its own data, which area, and there is a skywalk planned. 4 Design Research Institute, Fort area, developed way back in 1880s shows that almost 55 per cent average Mumbai, March 30, Pedestrian by British, is now a main business district daily trips per day are made by walking. One such pilot skywalk is already personal communication. of the city. It has a reasonably good “In its right sense, any planning agency operational since June last year between 2 Pankaj Joshi 2009, network of footpaths and our recent should cash upon this fact and strengthen Bandra (E) station and Kalanagar (Bandra- executive director, Urban Paradox study shows that over 70 per cent of the pedestrian infrastructure. But MMDRA Kurla Complex). It is 1,300 metres long Design Research Institute, the people from the nearby four local seems to be having some other designs. It and 4 metres wide. It has been planned Mumbai, March 30, Published as a part of the cover story (On two legs and a prayer, train stations – Church Gate, Marine wants more and more people to use their so that people from Bandra station can personal communication. April 30, 2009, Down To Earth) and monograph on walkability Lines, CST and Masjid Bunder --- come private cars, for which it is building sea walk to their workplaces in Bandra-Kurla 3 Ashok Datar 2009, (Footfalls: Obstacle Course to Liveable Cities, CSE 2009) walking to Fort. People who take taxis links, flyovers and wide roads. In the name Complex.5 However, reality is different. Mumbai Environmental do so not because they cannot walk the of pedestrianisation, it has now started “This skywalk has been constructed Social Network, Mumbai, distance, but because they are in a hurry constructing skywalks that resemble for a peak hour capacity of 5,500 March 30, personal to reach their destination. But such is ugly caterpillars and do not solve the commuters. But the usage is less than communication. not the case with other areas of Mumbai, problem,” says Ashok Datar, a transport 100 people in peak hour. MMRDA has 4 http://www. especially the suburbs where footpaths expert working with the Mumbai-based spent about Rs 13 crore for constructing mmrdamumbai.org/ are non-existent and pedestrians are NGO, Mumbai Environmental Social this elevated walkway, but clearly there skywalk.htm Nidhi Jamwal a cursed lot,” says Pankaj Joshi, an Network. Datar has been researching is a mismatch between pedestrian needs 5 http://www. Senior Correspondent, Centre for Science and architect and executive director of on Mumbai’s transportation issues for and what the state is offering,” says mmrdamumbai.org/ Enviroment/ Down to Earth Magazine Mumbai-based Urban Design Research the last 20 years.3 He feels skywalks Datar. He alleges that without doing a skywalk.htm 252 / 08 transportation 08 / 253 comprehensive study of the usage of A campaign has already been We need to set our priorities right and in than on the footpath,” says Punj. In many existing skywalk, MMRDA is creating launched by NGOs against the proposed case of Mumbai, MMRDA data shows that colonies residents are spending their more ‘caterpillars’ across Mumbai.6 skywalk from CST to Church Gate in south utmost priority is pedestrian footpaths, own money and maintaining footpaths. Mumbai. MMRDA has recently decided followed by local trains and buses. Private Sudhir Badami, Mumbai- to extend this skywalk to Mantralaya cars must be discouraged,” says Joshi. Punj shares a personal based transport consultant feels that and Colaba, and this had raised many experience to show authorities’ callous mindless sprouting of skywalks shows eyebrows. “These areas have good UDRI has recently launched attitude towards pavements, which are government’s escapism from wanting to footpaths that are encroachment free. a year-long project to study considered poor person’s ‘transport’ get footpaths in order. “Skywalks may Many pedestrians use them. People pedestrianisation in Mumbai and how option. “The footpath in front of our be necessary in some area, but they also walk through Oval Maidan and the city can be made more walkable. The society used to have hundreds of hawkers should not be made a norm,” he says. Cross Maidan to reach their respective initial findings of this study expose how selling anything from undergarments to Badami, who studied at IIT Mumbai stations. Why should pedestrians be the system itself discourages pedestrians. fruit juices to pornographic CDs. It was during 1970s and lives at Babulnath made to climb up skywalks?” questions “The classic example is two traffic impossible to even see the pavement let Narg in south Mumbai, says that during Neera Punj, convener of CitiSpace, a signals in front of CST station, one of the alone walk on it. In 2001, our resident earlier times, footpaths in Mumbai civil society group working towards busiest train stations in Mumbai. Both association decided to adopt the were in a much better condition. “I protection of open spaces in Mumbai.8 these traffic signals are programmed in pavement, protect it and maintain it. But used to walk back home from Grant Colaba and Fort area of Mumbai have such a way that pedestrians can never it was such a difficult task. For one year, I Road station. But now I am forced to over 150 heritage structures that would cross the road. The divider between was made to run from pillar to post, from take a taxi because the footpath is in get ruined by these skywalks, she claims. the road is so narrow that barely one corporation office to traffic police office. a mess and almost non-existent.” CitiSpace has already shot off a letter to person can stand on it. There are many state chief minister demanding scrapping more traffic signals like these which But finally we adopted the Architects and planners are of CST-Chuirch Gate- Mantralaya- discourage pedestrian movement in the pavement and have removed the 6 Ashok Datar 2009, criticizing the way skywalks are being Colaba skywalk.9 Punj alleges that state city,” says Kirti, an architect with UDRI. hawkers. Our association spends Rs Mumbai Environmental constructed. “India is a democracy and government is ready to push only those 40,000 per month only in the upkeep and Social Network, Mumbai, everyone has a right to have space on the transportation projects that cost crores Joshi feels that there is a protection of the pavement,” says Punj March 30, personal road. Why should roads be left only for and involve a private limited company. need for city-wide study whereby who lives in Lotus Court near Church communication. private cars and pedestrians be pushed bottlenecks for pedestrians can be Gate station in South Mumbai. But not 7 Faizan Jawed 2009, on to the skywalks? Pedestrians must Walkability is not rocket science identified and then by taking simple all associations are rich enough to architect, Rizvi College be provided space on the road itself. Urban planners claim that measures such as reprogramming signals spend that kind of money in maintaining of Architecture, Mumbai, This is non-negotiable,” says Faizan Mumbai can easily be turned into a or increasing the duration of red light, pavements.