'DNA FixitM': Using skywalk is like a ‘moonwalk’

“You’ve got to be extremely careful on this skywalk. It’s easy to get injured...” cautions Vidyavihar resident Ashish Mehta, pointing to the tiles. “Many of the tiles are cracked and many are unevenly laid out.”

Like Mehta, several commuters using the skywalk  that connects the western side of Vidyavihar to the foot overbridge of the railway station have been complaining about the skywalk’s condition.
The common refrain among pedestrians is that the skywalk has become a moonwalk due to huge craters and shoddy maintenance work.

Constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Vidyavihar skywalk, which cost Rs9 crore, was thrown open on February 11, 2011. Residents have often complained about these yellow caterpillars, as they’ve come to be nicknamed, with flooring tiles getting cracked or peeling off at certain spots and poor lighting at others.

Besides, there have been complaints about the space below these skywalks getting encroached upon. “The MMRDA has built these skywalks, but it seems it has not planned their upkeep,” said another resident, Ajay Shah. “On many skywalks, there are men sporting shabby uniforms of security guards. But these security men stand around doing nothing... Has MMRDA provided them retirement jobs?”

MMRDA officials denied that the quality of work is shoddy. “Yes, there’s a problem with the flooring and that will be laid again,” said a senior official of the agency who asked not to be named.

Shoddy work
The common refrain among pedestrians is that the skywalk has become a moonwalk due to huge craters and shoddy maintenance work.