Skywalks Sprout in Mumbai

The streets of Mumbai are packed with pedestrians. With few sidewalks and little room for the growing masses of walkers, city officials are looking to beat the pedestrian congestion by building overhead "skywalks" to bring people above the street.

1 minute read

January 26, 2010, 10:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg

"Most streets here have no footpaths. The sidewalks that do exist are bursting from a gridlock of walkers, street vendors and squatters. The scrum has become even pushier recently as hundreds of thousands migrate to this city of nearly 18 million people for jobs created by its economic expansion. Success has also led to an unprecedented number of cars and motorcycles on the road.

To lift the pedestrians that power this city above the fray, Mumbai is building more than 50 elevated walkways. The skywalks will sprout from train stations across the city and snake over the traffic for up to two miles to create a pedestrian express lane."

The first skywalk was finished last years, and officials say demand is rising. More than 60% of trips made within the city are by foot.

FULL STORY: Packed Streets Have a City of Walkers Looking Skyward for Answers

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 in The Wall Street Journal

Architecture Infrastructure Land Use Transportation India Sidewalks Pedestrians Mumbai Skwywalks View More

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