Juhu’s Walkability Crisis Sparks Demand for Safe Public Footpath.

Juhu Turns Into a ‘No-Walk Zone’

• Footpaths Vanish Under Debris and Ramps

• BMC’s Policy Paralysis Exposed

• Urban Safety in Freefall

Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098

Residents of Juhu’s Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group have accused the BMC of gross negligence, alleging that illegal encroachments, garbage dumping, and unsafe footpaths have turned the locality into a “no-walk zone.” Despite repeated complaints and documented evidence, civic authorities remain unresponsive, prompting threats of legal action.

Mumbai’s Chembur West faces a civic disaster as footpaths are lost to hawkers, illegal stalls, and parking. Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered that corrupt BMC officer Devdas Sawant allegedly runs a ₹5 lakh monthly hafta racket involving over 400 hawkers. Though officially posted in L Ward, Sawant reportedly controls encroachments in M West too. Despite public outrage, no effective action has been taken, highlighting entrenched corruption within the BMC system.

Encroachments, Debris, and Garbage Create a Civic Crisis in Juhu

Residents of the Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group, a proactive Advanced Locality Management (ALM) unit in Juhu, have accused the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of failing in its basic civic responsibilities. According to the residents, solid waste is regularly dumped along roads, debris piles up on footpaths, and unauthorised ramps and garages have cropped up—often overnight—outside high-rises.

This civic failure has left even short pedestrian walks unsafe and unpleasant. The residents, many of whom are senior citizens, say the situation is deteriorating fast, with no visible effort by the BMC to reclaim public pathways. “Our footpaths have become dumping yards and illegal parking zones,” a resident noted.

The issue was formally raised during a meeting with K-West Ward Assistant Municipal Commissioner Chakrapani Alle on August 1. The session was facilitated by BJP MLA Ameet Satam, and residents were armed with photographic documentation prepared by architect Samarth Das. The photos, presented to BMC officials, depicted multiple civic violations.

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One-Month Deadline to BMC: Legal Action Looms Over Inaction

Speaking to the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT), architect Samarth Das expressed concern over the systemic neglect of pedestrian safety. “If a high-profile area like Juhu can’t guarantee basic walkability, what hope is there for less developed regions?” he asked. Das warned that the ALM has given the BMC a one-month deadline to take visible action. “If not, we’ll be forced to pursue legal remedies,” he added.

Ashoke Pandit, chairman of the ALM group and a well-known filmmaker, echoed similar frustration. “We are not demanding anything extraordinary. We are merely asking the BMC to fulfill its constitutional duty and maintain unencroached, walkable roads,” he told Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT). He revealed that residents are now documenting civic failures daily, preparing for what may soon become a public interest litigation (PIL).

Pandit added, “The current state of our neighborhood is disgraceful. Overnight, garages and structures appear on public footpaths without any fear of BMC enforcement. This shows clear complicity or gross negligence.”

Pedestrian Safety and Sanitation Neglected in Mumbai’s Affluent Localities

Residents argue that the degeneration of Juhu’s civic condition is symptomatic of a broader collapse of governance. “The idea of what is considered ‘normal’ has slipped into shockingly substandard territory,” Das told Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT). He stressed that sanitation, pedestrian access, and hygiene—basic components of urban life—are being brazenly ignored.

The BMC’s silence, despite high-profile complaints and MLA intervention, is drawing criticism not only from residents but from urban planning experts as well. Walkability, a key indicator of urban health, is being sacrificed to unauthorised development and administrative apathy. ALM members say that despite several site visits and complaint submissions through proper channels, the footpaths remain blocked and hazardous.

Policy Inaction in BMC Raises Legal and Ethical Questions

This is not the first time the K-West Ward has faced civic scrutiny. Over the years, similar complaints have emerged from other upscale Juhu areas like 10th Road, 12th Road, and Vaikunthlal Mehta Road. Yet BMC’s enforcement and monitoring remain inconsistent, raising questions about accountability within the civic body.

The residents believe that only sustained legal and media pressure will compel the administration to act. With the support of experts like Samarth Das and leadership from the ALM, the Gulmohar residents are preparing for a long battle—not just for Juhu but as a precedent for other localities suffering civic neglect.

Rampant Encroachments Leave Mumbai Pedestrians Stranded

In several high-density zones across Mumbai, especially in suburbs like Andheri, Jogeshwari, and Juhu, pedestrians are increasingly finding themselves without safe walkways. Footpaths have been encroached upon by hawkers, makeshift shops, illegally constructed ramps, and even private parking spaces. Senior citizens and school-going children are particularly vulnerable, often forced to walk on busy roads amid traffic. The situation has turned dangerous and chaotic, especially during peak hours and the monsoon season.

BMC Officers Accused of Accepting Hafta from Hawkers

Sources in the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) reveal a disturbing pattern: civic officials in several wards allegedly collect regular “hafta” (protection money) from unauthorized hawkers and feriwalas in exchange for turning a blind eye to encroachments. Despite multiple complaints by residents, no long-term enforcement is carried out, and the same illegal vendors return within hours of any superficial clean-up. This collusion has effectively paralyzed enforcement actions, further emboldening illegal occupants of public pathways.

Local Politicians and MLAs Allegedly Collect ‘Capra’ from Feriwalas

Investigations by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) have also uncovered claims that certain local corporators and MLAs are involved in the racket. They allegedly take “Capra” — a term used for fixed weekly or monthly extortion money — from feriwalas and vendors to allow uninterrupted business operations on footpaths. These unregulated payments fuel a parallel economy and obstruct the rule of law, undermining the BMC’s legal authority. Residents say civic enforcement is now influenced more by political patronage than public interest.

SIT Calls for Probe into Political-Civic Nexus

The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has demanded a comprehensive inquiry by the Maharashtra Lokayukta or Anti-Corruption Bureau into the alleged nexus between BMC officials, local politicians, and encroachers. Urban planning experts also argue that repeated violations of public spaces indicate systemic governance failure. Without strict accountability and transparent enforcement, Mumbai’s pedestrian infrastructure will continue to deteriorate. As citizens lose access to safe walkways, the broader implications on traffic safety, environmental hygiene, and urban equity become increasingly severe.

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Hafta Kingpin: BMC’s Devdas Sawant Under Scanner

In the heart of Chembur West, a bustling suburb of Mumbai, footpaths have vanished under the weight of encroachments, hawkers, and illegal parking. According to Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) sources, corrupt BMC officer Devdas Sawant, currently posted in L Ward, is allegedly the kingpin behind a ₹4–5 lakh monthly hafta racket collected from over 400 hawkers. Shockingly, though posted in L Ward, Sawant is also said to be operating in M West Ward — turning a blind eye to violations while collecting protection money. Despite repeated complaints, no serious action has been initiated, indicating deeper systemic corruption within the municipal setup.

Chembur Footpaths Lost to Stalls, Carts, and Illegal Parking

A recent walk by Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) through Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Garden and the adjacent Post Office Road revealed a grim reality. What were meant to be footpaths are now home to permanent stalls, mobile accessory shops, and food carts. In several spots, there’s no space left for pedestrians — just encroachments and chaos. Residents, including senior citizens, women, and schoolchildren, are forced to walk on the roads amidst speeding vehicles. This civic failure poses a daily risk to thousands and reflects the gross inaction of BMC despite visible violations happening right under its jurisdiction.