The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to charge an entry fee for the newly constructed wooden walkway at Malabar Hill. The move will cover maintenance costs and introduce an automated crowd control system, the report said.
It is Mumbai's first forest walkway. The work on the walkway has now been completed and is expected to be opened soon. The walkway stretches from the Malabar Hill forest to a rock formation near Kamala Nehru Park in south Mumbai.
The elevated structure, which is 470 metres long and 2.4 metres wide, has a wooden deck and railings. It is also illuminated. It will also have a glass-bottomed viewing deck, a bird watching area. It also offers a scenic view of Girgaum Chowpatty.
The civic body has invested around INR 25 crore in the project. The tender was floated in 2021 and was initially expected to open in mid-January. Officials hope that the walkway will be largely maintenance-free.
Ticket sales will help reduce maintenance costs. The civic body assured that the ticket price will remain affordable for all tourists.
A senior civic body official told Mid-Day that the civic body is prioritizing self-sustaining projects that generate revenue for their maintenance. “While we are reducing administrative costs, we are also handling multiple projects simultaneously,” the official said.
The walkway will have an automated crowd control system to manage the number of tourists. The walkway has a capacity of 417 tourists to use it at a time. The unique features of the walkway and its eco-friendly design are expected to make it a popular attraction in Mumbai.
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