Mumbai: Expressing strong displeasure over the “lethargy” of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in constructing a crucial foot-over-bridge (FOB) at Bandra (East) connecting the railway station to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), the Bombay High Court has asked the civic body why action should not be taken against its officials for breaching court orders.
Commuters at Risk Due to Standstill Work
A division bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Manjusha Deshpande noted that despite repeated assurances, the work has remained at a “standstill,” putting lakhs of daily commuters at risk.
“The situation appears to be quite serious and in fact it pains us to see the life of the commuters being risked and inconvenienced on account of such municipal lethargy,” the bench observed in its August 20 order.
Pedestrian Safety Concerns Highlighted
The judges added: “The commuters are required to walk, not only in filthy surroundings but in chaotic and tumultuous conditions in the absence of a proper safe pavement, and more so, in the absence of a foot-over-bridge.”
Petition Filed by Senior Citizen
The court was hearing a petition filed by senior citizen and Bandra East resident KPP Nair, who raised concerns about the non-availability of a skywalk. He pointed out that only one pavement exists on the stretch from Bandra station towards BKC, which is narrow and poorly maintained, causing dangerous congestion. Pedestrians are forced to cross the busy Western Express Highway, leading to accidents and making it difficult to access public transport.
Previous Court Orders Ignored
Nair’s plea seeks expeditious completion of the skywalk and claims the civic body has failed to comply with its assurances and court orders.
In April 2023, the BMC told the court it would begin construction within 15 months, filing an affidavit through its bridges department. When no progress was made, Nair approached the court again in 2024. The court then reiterated its directive, granting another 15 months, including the monsoon period, to complete the work.
BMC Criticised for Ignoring Public Inconvenience
“The work in question was required to be undertaken with utmost priority, particularly considering the severe public inconvenience faced by thousands of commuters on a day-to-day basis,” the bench said, adding that the BMC appeared “least bothered” about the “pain, agony, inconvenience, suffering and hazard” caused to pedestrians.
Lack of Transparency and Progress Noted
The court also criticised the corporation for failing to place on record a “clean, transparent position on the work undertaken by the contractor” and noted that it had not sought an extension of time despite delays. Photographs showed that apart from installing pillars, no substantial work had been done. “As on date, the officials of the BMC prima facie appear to be in breach/disobedience of the orders passed by this court,” the judges recorded.
Officials’ Conduct Under Scrutiny
The bench expressed shock that, despite the application being served on July 21, the BMC’s counsel said she had been unable to obtain instructions from the concerned officers. “We are unable to fathom such reluctance on the part of such officials,” the court remarked, directing the municipal commissioner to examine their conduct.
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Names of Responsible Officers Disclosed
On Thursday, senior counsel for the BMC disclosed the names of the officers responsible: Bipin Jadhav, Executive Engineer (Bridges, Western Suburbs, Zone-III), and Prashant Jawale, Assistant Engineer (Bridges, Western Suburbs, Zone-III). Both work under the municipal commissioner.
The court has adjourned the matter for further hearing to September 9.
