The Mumbai Skywalk Project is a series of

skyway A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclo ...

s for pedestrian use in the

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Mumbai Metropolitan Region (abbreviated to MMR and previously also as Greater Bombay Metropolitan Area), is a metropolitan area consisting of Mumbai (Bombay) and its satellite towns in the northern Konkan division, of the Maharashtra state in ...

. The skywalks connect

Mumbai Suburban Railway The Mumbai Suburban Railway ( Marathi: मुंबई उपनगरीय रेल्वे) (colloquially called local trains or simply locals) consists of exclusive inner suburban railway lines augmented by commuter rail on main lines ser ...

stations or other high-concentration commercial areas with various heavily targeted destinations. The purpose of the skywalks is efficient dispersal of commuters from congested areas to strategic locations, such as bus stations, taxi stands, shopping areas, etc. and vice versa. The first skywalk was inaugurated on 24 June 2008. There are 36 skywalks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The average daily foot count for 23 skywalks in August 2010 was estimated at 565,000.

History

Vile-Parle-Skywalk Mumbai's Suburban Railway already has one of the highest passenger densities of any urban railway system in the world. With almost 7 million passengers using the system daily, as well as the associated transport interchanges in their vicinity (bus stations, taxi stands, autorickshaw stands, car parks, etc.) the suburban railway stations are the most congested areas of the city. The problem is further aggravated by the presence of hawkers and parked vehicles, making the commute hazardous for pedestrians. In 2007, the

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is a body of the Government of Maharashtra that is responsible for preparation oRegional Plan for MMRand the infrastructure development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The MMRDA was se ...

(MMRDA) conceived the idea of skywalks in response to these problems. MMRDA planned to build 50 skywalks in the first phase, ranging from 1 to 2 miles in length. The first 18 skywalks were to be built by the

Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र राज्यमार्ग विकास महामंडळ मर्यादित), commonly abbreviated as MSRDC, is an Indian publ ...

(MSRDC). Following feedback and criticism of some of the skywalks based on the proposed routes or other conflicting development plans, 17 of these were cancelled and others added. The first phase of Mumbai Skywalks consisting of 50 skywalks was expected to cost about . The proposed Mahim East skywalk was challenged by the Mahim Skywalk Protest Committee. MMRDA announced in June 2009 that it was cancelling the proposed Mahim East skywalk due to "alignment conflicts with the Dharavi Redevelopment Project". The first Skywalk was completed in June 2008 from Bandra station to Kalanagar Junction, measuring 1.3 km. It is used by over 100,000 pedestrians daily. MMRDA recovered some of the cost of maintenance through the sale of advertising space on the walkways.

Skywalks

There are currently 37 skywalks in

References

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Siddha Sky
– Located at Wadala, Mumbai, having longest rooftop skywalk. Skyways Transport in Mumbai 2008 establishments in Maharashtra Transport infrastructure completed in 2008