Hawkers, Faulty Escalator Mar Mumbai's New Bandra–BKC Skywalk Within Months Of Opening; PHOTOS

Mumbai: A newly constructed skywalk connecting Bandra Railway Station (East) to the Bandra–Kurla Complex (BKC) is already facing encroachment and maintenance issues, raising concerns over the sustainability of public infrastructure in the city.

The 680-metre-long skywalk, inaugurated on Republic Day earlier this year, was designed to streamline pedestrian movement between key locations, including Bandra Court, MHADA offices, and the District Collector’s Office. However, within months of its opening, and even within 48 hours, as earlier reported, the facility has begun showing signs of neglect.

Photos shared by local social media platform BandraBuzz show hawkers occupying sections of the pedestrian-only skywalk, highlighting a recurring problem seen across several skywalks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The post warned that if immediate action is not taken, the situation could escalate, making the structure unsafe and unusable for commuters.

Faulty Escalator Reported On New Skywalk

In addition to encroachments, the social media page flagged maintenance lapses. An escalator installed at the BKC end of the skywalk is reportedly non-functional, forcing daily commuters to use stairs, undermining accessibility, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

The page also reported changes in last-mile connectivity. Shared auto-rickshaws, which earlier dropped passengers closer to the station, are now reportedly halting near the skywalk and charging higher fares, adding to commuter inconvenience.

The issue of hawker encroachment had been raised earlier by activist Zoru Bhathena soon after the skywalk’s inauguration. Sharing images of a vendor selling sunglasses on the structure, he had highlighted how quickly the pedestrian facility was being compromised. His post, captioned “First Day First Hawkers,” had sparked widespread reactions online.

The skywalk, equipped with four staircases, two escalators, and 14 CCTV cameras, was envisioned as a modern solution to ease congestion in one of Mumbai’s busiest commercial and judicial hubs. It was inaugurated by Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar after nearly five years of construction delays. Despite these features, the early onset of encroachment and maintenance failures has raised serious questions about enforcement and upkeep.

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