Wall Street Journal, USA, takes note of Skywalks in Mumbai

Asian edition – Singapore, Hong Kong, China and India – also carries the article

Says packed streets have a city of walkers looking skyward for answers

Also questions if calling skywalks “yellow caterpillars” is a “Huge Mistake?”

Mumbai, January 30, 2010 – The Wall Street Journal of the USA has taken note of the Skywalk Project in Mumbai and, in fact, has questioned if calling skywalks “yellow caterpillars” is a “Huge Mistake?”

Mr.Eric Bellman, the author of the article, spoke to a few skywalkers and opined that, “Most streets in Mumbai have no footpaths. The sidewalks that exist are bursting from a gridlock of walkers, street vendors and squatters. The scrum has become even pushier recently as hundreds of thousands migrate to this city of nearly 18 million people for jobs created by its economic expansion. Success has also led to innumerable number of cars and motorcycles on the road. And to lift the pedestrians that power this city above the fray, Mumbai is building more than 50 elevated walkways”.

“I thinks it’s a great tribute to have been recognized by a publication as reputed as The Wall Street Journal, USA”, said an excited Metropolitan Commissioner, Mr.Ratnakar Gaikwad, who is the originator of the concept. “We simply answered to our call of responsibility by providing an alternative – safe and accident free walkway – for the city of Mumbai”, concluded Mr.Gaikwad.

“It was a local solution for a local problem. Given the paucity of space and short supply of land, there was no other alternative, but to implement the concept”, said Ms.Ashwini Bhide, Joint Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

Ms. Shubhangi Ambardekar, a 47-year old bank employee, the author spoke to, says, “There is security, it’s clean and we get fresh air too”, opined on her way back home from work. The article also says, Ms. Ambardekar used to splurge on an auto rickshaw every workday to avoid the mess on the roads around Bandra station. The rickshaws do not like taking short trips and would often make her wait at lease 20 minutes before she would take her to station or back home. Today she uses the Bandra skywalk, saves the rickshaw fare and arrives at home and or work relaxed.

The WSJ Asian edition dated January 22-24, 2010 – catering to Singapore, Hong Kong, China and India – has also published the article.