The Struggle for better infrastructure
The perfect path for a good stroll….Phorum Pandya
The perfect path for a good stroll….Phorum Pandya
Benchmark – In part VII of our series, we look at ideal footpaths in Mumbai
At least twice a week, Rajendra Patil takes a break from work and walks down Kala Ghoda’s MG Road, down to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj museum and then back towards K Dubash Marg.
The broad pavement lined with trees and heritage buildings makes for a peaceful post-lunch stroll and Patil, a committee member of the Bombay Art Society that runs Jehangir Art Gallery, feels lucky to have it.
This is one of the few pave- ments in Mumbai that feel truly dedicated to the pedestrian, he says. There are no obstruc- tions, no parked vehicles. The BMC has even allowed the gallery to line it with paintings.
The key requirements of a good footpath are that it be level, uninterrupted, wide enough to accommodate people in wheel- chairs, ideally about 2.5 metres in width, and should have slopes at either end for easy access, says transport analyst Sudhir Badami. There should be no fenc- ing. It’s also important that foot- paths not be more than 8 inch- es higher than the road, he says.
In a few strips across Mumbai — mainly high-density pedes- trian areas such as Shivaji Park in Dadar and Five Gardens in Matunga — the BMC’s pave- ments meet all these criteria.
But in a city of 18 million, with 44% of it using public transport and walking at least part of their commute, there isn’t nearly enough focus on ensuring that roads are pedestrian-friendly. Last week, for instance, transport ana- lyst Shankar Modak says he was astonished to see the impecca- ble, broad footpaths that ran uninterrupted along every street in Beijing and Shanghai. Our entire focus seems to be only on cars, he said, on his return to Mumbai. In 1980, the National Transport Policy Committee emphasised the need for a poli- cy on pavements, but we don’t even have a policy yet.
Pavements that meet the ideal requirements
* The 1-km circular foot- path ringing Shivaji Park is broad, smooth and largely uninterrupted, ideal for a morning walk or jog.
* I have lived here for 22 years and the pavements have always been impec- cably maintained. GAUTAM GAJBAR, graphic designer and Shivaji Park resident