Bombay HC asks MMRDA to build only necessary skywalks

The state government from now on will have to think twice before constructing a skywalk in the city. The Bombay high court on Wednesday asked the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) — the authority which constructs skywalks — to first decide if a skywalk was required before proposing it.

The division bench of justice FI Rebello and justice Amjad Sayed disposed of the PIL filed by Viren Shah and the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) asking the government to retrain from arbitrarily deciding on building skywalks. The court observed that it cannot interfere with the policy decision of the government.

But at the same time the court asked the MMRDA not to waste public money on constructing skywalks that aren’t needed. “The MMRDA should ensure that public funds are not wasted in constructing skywalks that are not required at certain places,” remarked Justice Rebello. “Is it really worth spending public money? Are people really walking on these skywalks, or is it like the subways?”

Mukesh Vashi, Shah’s counsel, argued that the government and the MMRDA are arbitrarily deciding on construction of skywalks without having any guidelines. “Ultimately, it is the public money which is being spent,” argued Vashi.

According to Shah’s petition, in June-July 2008, the MMRDA and government had proposed to build around 50 skywalks in the city. However, the number later increased to 67.