Mumbai: The residents of Malabar Hill have released their Citizens’ Manifesto, outlining a set of demands focused on pedestrian safety, sustainable urban planning, and improved civic infrastructure.
About The Charter
At the heart of the charter is a strong push for walkable and pedestrian-friendly streets. The residents have called for roads to be redesigned as model walkable streets that can set a new benchmark for residential areas across Mumbai. Highlighting the urgency of the issue, the manifesto refers to the death of 75-year-old resident Nita Shah in August 2025, who was reportedly forced to walk on Ridge Road due to the absence of footpaths.
The residents have demanded that at least one major road be comprehensively redesigned during the next civic term as a pilot project. Traffic control measures such as speed breakers and safe pedestrian crossings have also been sought, along with quality signage and street furniture, including benches, dustbins, street lighting, tree pits with native species, and accessible ramps at intersections. Organised and clearly marked parking bays integrated into street design have been proposed to prevent footpaths from being blocked and to maintain pedestrian flow.
To avoid repeated road digging, residents have demanded underground utility corridors for water, sewage, telecom, and electrical lines. Emphasising the need for professional design partnerships with urban design firms, the charter cites models such as Bangalore’s TenderSURE. It points out that many BMC street projects suffer due to the lack of architectural drawings, leading to poor execution. It further calls for community consultations with organisations like ‘The Walking Project’ and local resident associations.
The manifesto also demands that the BMC conduct a census of trees on all private plots opting for redevelopment and ensure that the existing trees are retained, citing their role in preventing erosion, supporting biodiversity, and stabilising soil. Additionally, to reduce pollution and traffic chaos, residents have urged the civic body to limit construction activity to one or two redevelopment projects per road at any given time.
Another key demand is improved pedestrian access to open spaces. A pedestrian entry from Malabar Hill to the Coastal Road promenade at Priyadarshini Park has been demanded as many locals regularly walk there. The lack of connectivity disconnects residents from a newly built public space, they said.
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