Powai Residents Protest Barricading of Central Avenue Footpaths
Residents of Hiranandani Gardens in Powai have raised serious concerns after public footpaths along Central Avenue were barricaded by new redevelopment building projects and claimed as private property. Citizens pointed out that pavements used by pedestrians for at least 25 years have been obstructed, forcing people to walk directly on the busy commercial street.
At the centre of the dispute is Citipark on Central Avenue, where residents reported that a new project being redeveloped by Brookfield, now BGRE, has taken over the broad pavements adjoining its property and barricaded a long stretch. In addition, flowerpots have been placed on the pavement on the opposite side of the road, with residents being informed that the opposite walkway also belongs to the developer.
A spokesperson for BGRE maintained that the pavement in question forms part of its property and stated that all works are being undertaken in accordance with the requisite statutory approvals.
However, residents have questioned how municipal authorities could have approved Central Avenue—one of Powai’s busiest commercial thoroughfares—without providing dedicated public footpaths. In an email sent to municipal authorities on August 7, Powai Action Forum member Ratan Sharda stated that residents were informed municipal records show the pavement outside Citipark is Brookfield’s property. Sharda questioned whether the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) could have sanctioned the layout of the township’s commercial street without providing pedestrian space.
Environmentalist Debi Goenka pointed out that while Supreme Court orders require the BMC to construct pavements on both sides of every road, existing footpaths in Powai are being removed and pedestrians forced onto the road. Goenka called on the BMC and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to hold a public meeting with residents to clarify the approved plans, demanding that the BMC direct builders to immediately restore the pavements to the public in line with road safety orders.
In a separate representation addressed to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Powai Advanced Locality Management (ALM) member Pamela Cheema cited that the pavement outside Citipark had been barricaded, leaving no space for pedestrians. Cheema added that the footpath outside Ambrosia was completely obstructed and the pavement adjoining the Lakepoint project had also been barricaded, urging the civic body to restore these stretches for public use.
