20 January,2023 06:58 AM IST | Mumbai | The Editorial
A broken footpath railing on Brahma Vishnu Mahesh Marg, in Shimpoli. Pic/Sameer Markande
The BMC installed fibre railings or guardrails at pavement stretches across the city, claiming that it would prevent cars from driving up on to the sidewalks and parking there, as well as deter hawkers. While cars continue to be parked on footpaths in several parts of the city, these railings now serve as hangers for hawkers' wares which, in turn, makes it difficult for pedestrians to navigate the pavements.
A three-part series on arbitrary installation of railings, through visits to various spots in the city to find out how these railings are utilised showed they were used for other reasons than what they were actually installed for. Prime amongst this was railings that had been taken over by hawkers as clothes hangers. There were also clothes drying on railings. Ropes and strings had been tied on railings to make hammocks for children.
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So widespread is this, that it received plenty of feedback from readers as it resonated with them and they all had their âhere too' or âus too facing the same problem' stories. We like to see this as a huge takeover story of the city. Public infrastructure has been taken over by encroachers of all kinds, and not being used for the purpose it was made for in the first place.
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The pavements itself, meant for walking have shops, shanties, restaurant chairs and tables, kiosks, eateries and juice bars. This means you walk on the road, as the pavements have been taken over. Our subways have been taken over, too, by hawkers narrowing entrance and exit routes, and this is serious concern at rush hour.
Bus stops that may not be in use see people sheltering underneath or living there, with bedding, clothes and young children, bathed and fed there. Our open spaces have been taken over by parked cars. The takeover is a typical Mumbai story and pavement railings only one aspect of the larger picture.
