BMC Proposes Rs 42 Crore Retaining Wall Below Malabar Hill Nature Walkway

A proposal worth Rs 42 crore for constructing a protective retaining wall on the lower side of the elevated nature walkway at Kamla Nehru Park in Malabar Hill will come up for approval before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation standing committee on Wednesday.

According to the civic body, stabilization of the slopes on the upper side of the trail was urgently required after work on the elevated nature walkway was undertaken. Work to stabilize those upper slopes was subsequently carried out.

However, civic assessments noted a steep slope remaining at several places on the lower side of the elevated trail. Developed buildings, slums, and chawls are located at the foot of the hill in these areas.

The existing retaining wall along the foot of the hill below the elevated nature trail is made of stone. During a site inspection, officials observed that this stone structure was in a dilapidated condition at many places.

The inspection also found that the hill terrain above and at the foot of the Malabar Hill Nature Trail, as well as the rock mass and soil in the terrain, had disintegrated over time. Due to this degradation, landslides have occurred at different locations every year, leading to the new proposal for protective construction.