Urban planners need to have a greener outlook

S Saunik. File pic

Maharashtra's Chief Secretary S Saunik has acknowledged that Mumbai is not a walking or cycling-friendly city, reported news agency Press Trust of India (PTI). She was speaking at an event by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI). She emphasised the urgent need to transform the city into a more inclusive and sustainable megapolis, said reports. Stating that Mumbai is not very bikeable or walkable, the big question she said, is how to transform the city into that.

The senior-most bureaucrat of Maharashtra said that sustainable urban development requires "building, or at least planning to build" a greener city. This includes integrating renewable energy into industries and ensuring that urban spaces incorporate ample green areas.

She pointed out that recent infrastructure projects in Mumbai have primarily focused on car usage, with many toll-free roads being constructed for four-wheelers. This approach contrasts sharply with global trends that prioritise pedestrian and cyclist-friendly environments.

This should give more impetus to the greening efforts of cities. There have been a lot of talk and plans about having bike-friendly spaces, yet, in Mumbai where traffic is what it is, there is great difficulty in earmarking bike-only spaces. We should though try to incorporate green where possible. For a start, we need to make our existing pavements walkable, stop wrong-side two-wheelers, vehicles climbing onto pavements, improve signage visibility and undertake repairs.

This is a bare minimum start to a walkable city. Pavements that invite falls, open ditches, unreadable, invisible signage, wrong directions - this dissuades people from walking, especially, senior citizens. Work on existing infra, upscaling what we already have and then seek to add more amenities.

Let us hope that steps are taken to begin a transformation that makes this city a little more walkable as a start of better things to come. Heels and bicycle wheels must have a space in Mumbai.