Work on Mumbai's first footbridge travelator will begin in early 2023. At Jacob Circle-Mahalaxmi in South Mumbai, the pedestrian bridge will connect commuters to a subway, suburban rail, and monorail.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will build a 700-meter pedestrian bridge to integrate three different modes of transport. The three modes of public transportation are overseen by three different government agencies.

The MMRDA operates the Mumbai Monorail, which runs between Jacob Circle, also known as Sant Ghadge Maharaj Chowk, and Chembur. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation is currently building the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ underground metro line and Mahalaxmi is an intermediate station.

Likewise, Mahalaxmi railway station is operated by Indian Railways and connects a large number of working people between Churchgate and Dahanu on a daily basis. The distance between Monorail's Sant Ghadge Maharaj Chowk station and Mahalaxmi railway station is nearly 600 meters, and the obstacles and multiple lanes along the way extend the journey. As a result, having a dedicated walkway will not only help integrate the different public living methods, but will also encourage passengers to use rail transport.

The proposed footbridge will be 335 meters long and seven meters wide. It will also have escalators and elevators to facilitate access for a diverse population. Most of the height that needs to be covered is from the underground subway station to the bridge, necessitating the use of elevators and escalators.

The MMRDA has set a budget of Rs 636.8 million for the construction of a pedestrian bridge and has solicited bids from civil contractors.

"Work will start in another three months and is expected to be completed in a year, i.e. by February 2024," said an MMRDA official.

The MMRDA recently announced plans to extend the monorail line to Mahalaxmi station to integrate and move closer to the metro station of the Aqua metro line. However, a review of the plans revealed that installing travelators will be a more cost-effective option, costing about a third of the cost of a monorail.