From Monday, the Malabar Hill nature trail will be guarded by private security. The BMC had to upgrade the security at the Malabar Hill nature trail as an incident of theft was reported before its inauguration. The elevated walkway was inaugurated by local MLA and minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on March 30. "The theft was reported a week before the inauguration. The thief robbed electrical items from a room behind the booking counter, costing anywhere between Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000,” said a BMC officer associated with the project.
The thief had managed to slip into the booking counter through the glass opening. The next day, the BMC replaced the narrowly opened glass ticket counter with a fully covered glass. “To avoid any outward incident, four BMC security guards and a private security guard were immediately deployed, of which one was dedicated to the booking counter. However, all private security guards will be deployed from Monday,” the officer added.
Despite reminders, the walkway project's contractor has not yet registered an FIR regarding the theft.
The 485-meter-long elevated walkway at Malabar Hill traverses through lush green trees along with a sea view, connecting Kamala Nehru Park and Ferozshah Mehta Garden. The walkway has been receiving an overwhelming response from the public, with over 22,000 visitors in one week. The BMC has allowed only 200 people per one-hour slot to avoid overcrowding.
