Beauty is good, but great infra vitally important, too

People walk in the projected lights at Prabhadevi on Thursday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

This paper had a report about the BMC installing special lights on BEST electricity poles. These lights project designs on the footpaths. When it starts getting dark, there are illuminated designs on the ground. These lights seem to dance in sometimes kitschy but compelling abandon around pedestrians' feet. The beautification of the Mumbai project has taken off in G-South Ward and some parts of G-North. The lights are installed at Shivaji Park, Prabhadevi, Parel and on the wide footpath near Mahalaxmi racecourse.

The first projector light was installed on December 31, 2022. Then 10 more were installed on the occasion of New Year. These are IP67 lights, they are unaffected by the rain. A G-South official stated that broad sidewalks like the one outside Motilal Oswal and on E Moses Road, near Mahalaxmi station, especially lend themselves to this, the report stated.

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Mumbai is looking more aesthetic in some parts with beautification measures. The G20 spawned a lot of artwork on the walls, across, too. Some installations, too, have come up of late. Some of this work may be criticised but overall, there has been some effort at an uplift.

Let us see efficiency and aesthetics go hand in hand. The beauty aspect is being looked into but saving green spaces, walkable footpaths, parking problems, waste disposal measures need to be tackled urgently, too. If these are not done, then the aesthetics becomes simply cosmetic, a cover, though that may be unintentional, for the real problems festering underneath. We want to see a good-looking city, but one that also works, especially when it comes to pedestrians, signage, lighting, water - all daily on ground facets that make the city have a good liveability index for its people. This is not just the BMC but for all agencies who need to come together to ensure this.