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While the proposed rooftop cafe and art gallery at the Malabar Hill viewing gallery are creating a buzz, a quieter but significant feature of the highest point of South Mumbai — the tree-lined elevated walkway carved into the Malabar Hill slopes, connecting Hanging Gardens and Babulnath Temple, built for bird-watching and peaceful strolls — has slipped under the radar.

While early visitors warned of weekend crowds — the entry is capped at 200 people per hour, and slots can be booked via the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation`s (BMC) website, up to 15 days in advance.

As an added attraction for tourists flocking to the spot, BMC has proposed to start a rooftop cafeteria at the adjoining viewing deck, which is expected to earn the civic body a revenue of Rs 11.71 crore.

The walkway has continued to see full slots during the peak hours in the evenings on weekends, and citizens are unable to book weekend slots for the same day. However, it is now easier to get bookings during the weekdays.

Sanjay Shirke, a social worker from the Malabar Hill area, said, “There are fewer people in comparison now, which may be due to the monsoons. Apart from the cafeteria at the viewing gallery, we are urging BMC to make other facilities available in the vicinity of the walkway, such as a public toilet.”

Similarly, Santosh Daundkar, an activist, said, “When the walkway was going to be opened to people, we had concerns that the hills would get littered. Hopefully, that is not happening. However, with the cafeteria at the viewing gallery, what is the guarantee that littering will not take place? Moreover, if it will cost the contractor so much money every month to lease the area for a cafeteria, we would be interested to know who will actually be able to afford the food being served.”