Footpaths in Mumbai are meant to allow citizens to walk safely and easily. Therefore, unauthorized ramps, encroachments, commercial structures or any other form of obstruction by housing societies or business owners on footpaths will not be tolerated. Housing societies and unit owners who have built ramps or other encroachments on footpaths will have to remove them at their own expense within a month. BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has issued a clear warning that the municipal corporation will take strict action against the parties concerned if they fail to do so. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation is effectively implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign across the city to clear footpaths of unauthorized hawkers and encroachments, ensuring that they remain free from obstructions. As part of this campaign, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide today (August 6, 2026) conducted an on-site inspection of several areas in the ‘K-West’ and ‘P-South’ wards of the Western Suburbs. These include Swami Vivekananda Marg, Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg, Bando Gaur Marg, the road leading to Goregaon Railway Station, Sheth Shri Devaraj Ji Gundicha Chowk, Tomato Street near Goregaon Station, and Dudhsagar Marg. During this inspection visit, Commissioner Ashwini Bhide issued instructions to completely remove encroachments from the footpaths and make them easy for citizens to walk. Commissioner Bhide inspected the encroachments, ramps, commercial structures and other obstacles obstructing the path of pedestrians. He directed the officials concerned to take immediate action to ensure that the available footpath space is completely opened for public use. In the ‘K-West’ ward, under the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign, the first phase aims to remove encroachments from 320 km of footpaths, so as to make them accessible to the citizens. Moreover, 27 out of a total of 355 roads in the K-West ward have been selected for this initiative. Footpaths stretching for 37.7 km on these roads are being cleared of encroachments.
Municipal Corporation’s appeal to citizens

In ‘K-West’ and ‘P-South’ wards, ramps built by housing societies or shop owners to facilitate vehicle access often become obstacles in the way of pedestrians. Such obstacles force senior citizens, women, children and various differently-abled persons to walk on the road, which endangers the safety of pedestrians. Taking the matter seriously, Commissioner Bhide ordered the immediate removal of such ramps. He directed the concerned parties to voluntarily remove these encroachments and restore the footpaths within a month. Commissioner Bhide clarified that strict action will be taken against those who do not follow these instructions as per the municipal rules and regulations. Moreover, in some areas, commercial stalls set up on footpaths are causing traffic congestion. Bhide directed the officials to ensure that alternative places are provided to these stall owners.

Patients, their relatives and ambulances frequently travel along Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg and Swami Vivekananda Marg in Vile Parle (West) to reach Dr. RN. Moreover, the presence of colleges and educational institutions on these routes results in a significant increase in foot traffic of college students. Therefore, ensuring smooth and hassle-free traffic flow on these roads is of utmost importance. Due to encroachments and unauthorized obstructions on footpaths, students and other citizens are often forced to walk on the road. This not only compromises the safety of pedestrians but also affects the flow of traffic. In this context and under the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign, priority has been given to making footpaths on these routes completely obstacle-free for citizens. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has issued instructions for immediate removal of unauthorized hawkers, shopkeepers’ encroachments, unauthorized ramps and other obstacles obstructing the path of pedestrians.

Business operators to be shifted
An inspection revealed that citizens were facing considerable difficulties due to obstructions on footpaths along Bindu Gor Marg near Goregaon (West) Railway Station. Since this situation was causing traffic congestion, Commissioner Bhide ordered the concerned business operators to be shifted at the earliest. The Bando Gor Marg is 350 metres long and 13.40 metres wide, serving around 70,000 railway passengers daily. In the first phase, 43 commercial structures near the Goregaon (West) railway station were removed, and there are plans to widen the road.

Mumbai: Local MLA Abu Asim Azmi met Mumbai Suburban District Collector (IAS) Saurabh Katiyar to discuss various pending and important development projects in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (Govind) Assembly constituency in detail. The meeting had constructive discussions on important issues related to education, social welfare and rehabilitation in the area. During the meeting, MLA Azmi presented key demands to the District Collector, including allotment of government land for a degree college in Mankhurd Govind area, provision of a suitable place for funeral rites for the Shia Muslim community, and immediate resolution of the rehabilitation issues of residents living in transit camps. Speaking after the meeting, MLA Abu Asim Azmi said, “Public interest and all-round development of the constituency are my primary objectives. The meeting with the District Collector was very positive, and I am sure that the administration will soon take favourable decisions on the issues raised.

Mumbai, Aug 6: The Bombay High Court on Thursday sentenced former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case involving a junior colleague, hours after setting aside his acquittal and convicting him of rape and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A division bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar announced the sentence and granted Tejpal two weeks’ time to surrender before the jail authorities.

Earlier in the day, the Justice Gokhale-led Bench had allowed the appeal filed by the Goa government against the May 2021 judgment of a sessions court in Mapusa, which had acquitted Tejpal of all charges.

Pronouncing the verdict, the Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal under Sections 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k) (rape), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe) of the IPC. It had then posted the sentencing for later in the day.

During the hearing on the question of sentence, Tejpal’s counsel sought suspension of the conviction for eight weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court, submitting that the verdict had reversed an acquittal and highlighting that there was no other criminal case against him.

Addressing the Justice Gokhale-led Bench, Tejpal also pleaded for leniency, stating that he believed himself to be a victim and requested the High Court to take a compassionate view while deciding the sentence.

Opposing the plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the case required a strong message against sexual violence, contending that “when a girl says no, it means no”.

The case stems from allegations made by a junior colleague that Tejpal sexually assaulted her inside an elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa during an event in November 2013.

The Goa Police registered an FIR against Tejpal for offences including rape, following which he was arrested in November 2013 after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

He was granted regular bail by the Supreme Court in July 2014.

In May 2021, Additional Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi acquitted Tejpal, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and citing alleged lapses in the investigation, including failure to produce certain evidence such as CCTV footage.

The Goa government challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court, contending that the trial court had erred in appreciating the evidence on record.

During the appeal hearing, the prosecution argued that the Sessions Court had focussed on the survivor’s post-incident conduct and background instead of assessing the evidence against the accused. It also submitted that the trial court ignored material evidence, including an apology email allegedly sent by Tejpal after the complainant raised the allegations with the then Managing Editor of the publication.