Residents and commuters in Kharkopar are fuming after the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) suddenly closed the pedestrian pathway adjoining its Mass Housing Project site, citing ongoing construction work. The barricaded stretch, which connects nearby housing sectors, has left hundreds of people, including senior citizens and office-goers, struggling to navigate long and unsafe detours every day.
A notice put up on October 23 informs citizens that the pedestrian path will remain “temporarily closed” due to work related to the CIDCO Mass Housing Project. The banner, printed in English, Marathi, and Hindi, reads, “We regret the inconvenience caused and seek your kind cooperation.” But for those who rely on the route daily, the inconvenience has turned into a major civic hassle.
When mid-day visited the site, the pathway was completely blocked, forcing pedestrians heading towards Sector 15 and 16 to walk through along the main road with speeding vehicles. Residents said the sudden closure, without any alternate arrangement, has made life miserable.
“Earlier, it took me five minutes to reach Kharkopar station. Now it takes almost 15 minutes as we have to take a long roundabout route,” said Sunita More, a senior citizen from Sector 15. “After sunset, it becomes risky as heavy vehicles and construction trucks move around constantly,” she added.
No forewarning
Daily commuters, too, are frustrated. “CIDCO should have created a temporary walkway or at least informed people in advance,” said Rohit Sharma, who uses the road to reach Kharkopar railway station. “People are walking dangerously close to moving heavy vehicles; one wrong step and anything can happen,” he warned.
Residents said that while they support development work, basic pedestrian safety has been ignored. “CIDCO just sealed the path with a notice and left. No timeline, no alternate route, this isn’t how a planned city should function,” said Anita Patil, another resident.
Official Speak
CIDCO officials, when contacted, said the decision was taken purely for public safety reasons. “The ongoing work involves excavation, heavy machinery, and drainage adjustments. The area is unsafe for public movement at this stage. The closure is temporary, and the path will reopen once major groundwork is completed,” said an official.
However, locals are demanding a clear reopening timeline and a temporary access route until then. “We understand that the project is important, but so are citizens. Even a small effort to ease public movement can go a long way in maintaining trust,” said Neha Pandey, who commutes daily through the stretch.
“Whenever a walkway is blocked for public projects, there must be a provision for safe alternative access. You can’t just put up a notice and expect citizens to adjust,” said social activist Mahendra Gharat.
The project
The CIDCO Mass Housing Project is part of a state-supported affordable housing initiative, with multiple towers coming up in Kharkopar. The area has witnessed intense development activity in recent years, but residents say civic coordination has not kept pace with construction speed. For now, the “temporary closure” has added to the growing list of inconveniences faced by citizens in Ulwe’s fast-developing sectors.
