Mumbai: Only 10 per cent of Bandra is walkable, survey reveals

Citizens and activists discuss findings of the Bandra Walkability Survey on Saturday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Bandra residents voluntarily surveyed 7.1 km of the roads in their vicinity and found 80 per cent of the roads dug up for various reasons, and 75 per cent of these roads were unsafe. Residents further discovered that only 10 per cent of the footpaths are walkable and the information on the barriers were not matching with the work being done. A few citizens and activists discussed the findings of the Bandra Walkability Survey on Saturday and unanimously agreed to take this to the BMC, and policymakers so that a practical infrastructure could be planned.

Sonal Alvares, one of the active residents, with the help of Jacob Kohn, an enthusiastic city planner, started work in December with the help of eight other residents-turned-volunteers. Jacob Kohn is an urban planner and data scientist from Washington DC. "The survey was conducted after we finished our daily work and it took two months to complete," said Sonal. In a presentation on Saturday at the St Paul Institute of Communication Education in Bandra West, Kohn explained the methodology of survey and the findings. The survey shows that out of 7.1 km long road survey, 80 per cent of roads and narrow pathways are dug up by various city planning authorities.

Shriya Bhatia, a professor from NMIMS's Balwant Sheth School of Architecture, participated in the discussion and also presented the Sion-Chunabhatti Station Area Walkability survey conducted by the students. The survey showed how the infrastructure like road, skywalk, footpaths, bus stops near Sion and Chunabhatti station need to be corrected and to develop these areas to be more commuter friendly.

The members of Walking Project, Mumbai March, also presented their experiences of unfriendly roads. Sonal added that post lockdown, the construction activities have increased and residents are unable to plan their commute. Asif Zakaria, former corporator of the area, tried to explain the corporation's side. "There are many agencies related to electricity, pipe gas, water, telephone, internet etc who need to lay lines or repair them. Every road has different dynamics and generalising won't lead to any solution. If residents make the BMC accountable, then the situation will definitely improve," he said.