Chembur citizens walk to reclaim their footpaths
Amid the city’s hustle and bustle, where pedestrians have to often dodge obstacles, a group of citizens organised a walk on the streets of Chembur on Sunday evening to check the walkability on the suburb’s footpaths.
The participants found that hawkers, despite ‘no hawking boards, have encroached more than half of a footpath’s width on some roads, leaving very little space for them. The other roads have poorly designed pavements that need an upgrade. On the positive side, they found an adequate tree cover and tolerable traffic noise levels.
The walk was organised by the ‘Walking Project’, a group that has been trying to bring attention to the condition of pavements, or the absence of pedestrian areas across the city. The group also acquaints citizens with the Indian Roads Congress guidelines governing the design of pedestrian spaces. It is supported by Mumbai Sustainability Centre, a city-based NGO.
On Sunday, 15 people (residents of Chembur, Ghatkopar and Navi Mumbai) joined the walk from Chembur railway station to Diamond Garden, a 1km stretch.
Ragini Lalwani, an IT professional from Chembur who joined the walk, said she registered online thinking it was a walkathon. “However, it turned out to be an eyeopener as we usually never think about being denied our walking rights. Such awareness is important for every person,” said Lalwani.
Vedant Mhatre, the group
programme manager, has been leading these walks since August 2023. This was his 12th community walk, after Dadar, Bandra, Borivali, Ghatkopar, Mulund as well as Navi Mumbai. “After the last two walks at Dadar and Chembur, we can say that the footpaths in these parts of Mumbai are comparatively better than the rest of the city,” he said.
Chembur railway station plaza needs more signages, seating areas and disabled-friendly facilities
Dayanand Saraswati Road pavement encroached by hawkers
VN Purav Marg has narrow and poorly designed footpaths
Raised crossings needed from railway station to Diamond Park