The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed plans for India’s inaugural city-wide master pedestrian network in Mumbai, as disclosed to the Supreme Court. This groundbreaking initiative aims to establish a seamless, interconnected, and universally accessible pedestrian system throughout the city. The BMC’s affidavit to the Supreme Court outlines the use of advanced technology, including a 3D city model, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, satellite imagery, LiDAR surveys, drone mapping, and other geospatial datasets to develop this plan.
The civic body emphasizes that this initiative will eliminate the current issue of fragmented footpaths that abruptly begin and end, shifting towards a scientifically informed, comprehensive city-wide pedestrian infrastructure strategy. This development is part of the ongoing public interest litigation (PIL) addressing pedestrian safety and the implementation of a universal footpath policy.
BMC has commenced the collection of ward-wise data on existing footpaths, missing links, and connectivity gaps to create a detailed geospatial inventory of pedestrian infrastructure. This city-wide mapping effort aims to identify the current state of footpaths, roads lacking pedestrian pathways, and areas with accessibility challenges. The integration of this data with the BMC’s 3D city model will allow for a digital visualization of the city’s roads, footpaths, transport corridors, and public utilities, facilitating the creation of a master pedestrian network plan.
The proposed master plan will focus on identifying missing pedestrian links, prioritizing connectivity corridors, enhancing accessibility, and integrating pedestrian infrastructure with public transportation systems. The BMC plans to coordinate these efforts across various municipal departments through an institutional mechanism led by the Chief Engineer (Roads & Traffic) Department.
Regarding street vendors, the BMC asserts that regulation and rehabilitation will adhere to the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, the Maharashtra Rules of 2016, and the Street Vendors Scheme, 2017, with oversight by the Town Vending Committee. This approach aims to balance pedestrian movement and accessibility, according to the affidavit.
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In November 2025, a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan issued a notice on an application by advocate Sunil Ahya. The application sought directives for geospatial mapping of pedestrian networks, the creation of city-wide master pedestrian plans, integration of street vending into footpath planning, and the establishment of phased implementation and accountability mechanisms. It also requested that BMC publish a geospatial digital inventory of all existing and missing footpaths in accordance with the universal footpath policy issued in May 2023.
When the case was revisited in January, the Supreme Court suggested that the BMC audit specific stretches of footpaths, particularly in crowded areas, and recommended that at least one kilometer of footpath per ward be audited for potential urgent remedial action. With the BMC’s recent affidavit filed on May 20, the next hearing is scheduled for September 3.
