Work on forty city skywalks to begin soon
Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is pushing hard to start work on the skywalks planned for the city. Metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said they hope to start work on 40 skywalks in the next one month.
The MMRDA has earmarked a sum of Rs 600 crore for 50 skywalks in the city and suburbs. However, till date the only skywalk that is ready is at Bandra East, from the railway station to the Kalanagar bus stop. Another one at Kanjur Marg (E) is under construction.
Gaikwad said the problems the skywalks were facing at Dadar West and at Mahim would be sorted out. Traders and residents at Dadar (W) have objected to a skywalk from the railway station to Chaitya Bhoomi at Shivaji Park. At Mahim, the Canossa Convent has also pointed out problems the skywalk would pose to the school.
I am willing to discuss the problems of any groups about skywalks, said Gaikwad.
Of the 50 skywalks being built in the city, 17 are being built by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and the rest by the MMRDA.
State PWD minister Anil Deshmukh has promised to have several of the skywalks designed on the latest models in the West. This will include cable stayed and arch bridge designs on some of the skywalks.