Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: After the Bombay High Court slammed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over the state of the city’s footpaths, the civic body has decided to appoint NGOs to audit pavements to ensure they can be accessed by the differently abled.
Recently the court ordered BMC to ensure that all footpaths are encroachment-free and accessible to those with disabilities. The bench also slammed BMC over the distance between bollards — short posts used to create a protective or architectural perimeter — on footpaths, as at some places, they prove a hindrance to wheelchairs.
BMC road department has invited tenders to appoint NGOs to ensure that the pedestrian-first policy is carried out. These NGOs will record the status and size of footpaths as well as hurdles and their accessibility to persons with disabilities.
One NGO will be appointed for each of the city’s seven zones. According to the tender document, the estimated cost of the project is around Rs 2 crore. The audit will take three years.
Encroachments, illegal extensions, and parking hindrances on footpaths, especially around railway stations, render them unusable for both ablebodied individuals and those with disabilities.
