Commuters struggle to find autorickshaws at Santacruz station road on WEH

Every evening commuters looking for lastmile connectivity from the end of Santacruz station road on the Western Express Highway towards the northbound suburbs face a familiar problem Finding an autorickshaw is often next to impossibleA damaged and uneven footpath forces commuters to repeatedly step on and off the carriagewayWith no autos available many commuters choose to walk towards the Milan Subway where the chances of getting a rickshaw are slightly better However the poor condition of the footpath along this stretch of the highway makes even a short walk difficult and unsafeProblems on groundA broken manhole lid and scattered debris pose a safety hazard for pedestrians on the footpathThe trouble begins right at the start of the footpath near the station road Pedestrians are forced to walk nearly 10 metres around a metro pillar to reach the footpath which itself is around 30 centimetres higher than the road making it difficult to climbAfter barely 10 metres the footpath abruptly ends due to the protrusion of a BMC garden forcing pedestrians back onto the road Shailesh Shetty a regular commuter said that while the highway itself is smooth the areas meant for pedestrians have been neglectedA BEST bus stop located on the footpath adds to congestion and safety concerns for pedestriansldquoThe WEH connects major parts of the city well but the sides of the road are ignored Walking here is a constant struggle as you have to keep climbing up and down uneven surfaces just to avoid stepping onto the roadrdquo Shetty saidAdding to the problem is poor lighting during the evening hours Trucks parked along the stretch block whatever little light there is plunging the footpath into darknessA truck parked on the footpath along the Western Express Highway leaving no space for pedestriansldquoI never feel comfortable walking there alonerdquo said Shweta Vishwakarma a college student who uses the route daily ldquoIn the daytime we might still attempt it but in the evenings my friends and I only walk through this stretch if there are several of us togetherrdquoVishwakarma added that the lack of lighting is not the only concern ldquoPeople sleep on the footpath in the evenings which further reduces confidence especially for womenrdquo An elderly woman who requested anonymity and was waiting at the bus stop along the footpath described her experience as frighteningThe beginning of the northbound footpath near Santacruz station road is obstructed by debris and a bridge pillar forcing pedestrians onto the road PicsMadhulika Ram KavatturldquoThis is our first time walking here and it was extremely difficult because of the uneven surface We almost fell twice For people our age this road is simply not approachablerdquo she saidSome hope amid frustrationDespite the complaints a few pedestrians believe the situation has improved compared to the past ldquoA few years ago there was barely a proper road hererdquo said Nandu Chary who was visiting the area after a long gapldquoNow that the main road has been improved I believe the footpaths will also be fixed eventuallyrdquo Another commuter echoed the sentiment saying delays were expected due to the workload at the civic body ldquoThe BMC is understaffed so things take time but I am hopeful the footpath condition will improve soonrdquo he saidAt present repair work is underway on a section of the footpath near the landing of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road Workers at the site told midday that once this patch is completed the footpath work may be extended up to the station roadmidday contacted the civic body seeking clarity on when the entire stretch of the footpath would be repaired but did not receive a response till the time of going to press