Footpaths in Mumbai

As the name would suggest, a footpath is a path for people who are brave enough to commute by foot. While driving to work via the Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, known more popularly as LBS Marg, I see this narrow strip of unused road on both sides. Riddled with garbage, sewage, hawkers, human beings and a number of other animals in deep slumber.

Most of the roads in Mumbai's suburbs have 3 lanes to each side. One lane is dedicated to the brave truckers of our country without whom we would be left in the Stone Age. After all, when they're tired, they need to park their mammoth vehicles somewhere, don't they? Then when it's raining, due to the lack of the "footpaths" people tend to descend upon the road and take up lane number two. Now that leaves the vehicles, 80% of which comprise of Auto-Rickshaws, with just one measly little, pot-hole ridden lane. Is it still surprising then that it takes me almost 30 minutes to cover less than 6 kilometers?

Another interesting phenomenon is that you would see many people walking on the road despite there being a nice, clear and dry footpath. Those people are mostly in disbelief. And believe it or not, on a recent trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka where everything is just beautiful, I too, could be seen walking on the roads. There was a footpath, and it was a good one too, but I had to consciously remind myself to climb onto it again.

It's not all bad though, go further south towards Mumbai city, known affectionately as "Town", and you would be pleasantly surprised by the sight of 10 ft wide footpaths. Simply beautiful... Marine Drive, Church gate, Fort, Nariman Point... I can't help but be reminded of "Saddi Dilli ka CP". Mumbai has a lot of things, but Mumbai can never have a Connaught Place. Some may say that Delhi can never have beach, but I say wait... If Global Warming has it's way who knows what's next....