The Nana Chowk skywalk's steely protuberances are used sparsely. The skywalk, with its four arms, has become 'a white elephant which continues to block our right to air and sunlight," say despairing residents
The escalator is out of business again. Pic/Bipin Kokate
ADVERTISEMENT
The Nana Chowk skywalk's steely protuberances are used sparsely. The skywalk, with its four arms, has become 'a white elephant which continues to block our right to air and sunlight," say despairing residents.
The skywalk's two escalators have stopped functioning, "for many months now," say locals, "we really do not know for how long. In what has become a familiar sight, there is a lock on the collapsible gate of the escalators cutting off access. When the escalator continues to be non-functional for more days than it is working ever since its inception in 2014, why have it at all?" they ask.
Also read - Mumbai: Residents want Nana Chowk skywalk dismantled, relocated
A man who had converted the landing of the closed escalator into a temporary bedroom, early last year
The BMC's Engineer in the bridge department S O Kori, brushed off the question as to why the escalators are not functioning saying, "you speak to the ward chief. We have handed over the matter to him."
The escalator literally touching Ishwardas Mansion
Viraj Karnik, from Ishwardas Mansion, building residents who claim that they are suffering because of the skywalk, with the escalator literally blocking their entrance said, "The escalators never function, people are unable to use the skywalk, then why have it at all. Look at the fire hazard for our building. If there is any disaster, the fire service will be unable to access the entrance easily and we will not be able to exit. The escalator outside the building, which is perennially defunct needs to go."
Also read: Shocking! One of Mumbai's costliest skywalks turns into liquor den
For Kavita Shah, "the escalator, is hardly ever working. In fact, working is the exception rather than the norm. At least remove the escalator blocking access to our building entrance and serving absolutely no purpose." Kavita says that, "there are very few people using this skywalk. Most persons walk underneath it. With the escalators lying defunct, the obsolete factor becomes more evident."
In April last year, the defunct escalators had turned the skywalk into a party zone for drunkards, drug addicts and revelers who were using the space outside the escalators to chat, as canoodling nooks and general time pass.
Also read: Grant Road skywalk is home to beggars, drug addicts
The Rs 43 crore marquee facility, with its tentacles was shrouded in controversy when it opened in 2014, "and it continues to be a nuisance" says first floor resident Rajesh Shah, who claims he has been bereft of natural air and light, since the skywalk came up. "What is new about the escalators not working?" he scoffed. "the skywalk needs to be removed, it is not serving any purpose. I want to ask the Ministers if they would be okay if such an infrastructure came up right in front of their house. In fact, we would like the Chief Minister Mr Devendra Fadnavis to visit, have a cup of tea in one of our houses and see first hand the havoc this has created," he finished.
D Kshirsagar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the 'D' ward said, "there has been a temporary technical glitch in the working of the escalators. We are looking into it. We have not built this skywalk. The details are with the BMC Bridge department. If we had built this infra, we could have moved much faster on repairs, but now because it is with a different department, there are delays and we have to wait." The familiar game of ping pong begins within civic authority, while residents stew, escalators stall and Mr Devendra Fadnavis's chai invitation waits.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
