Initiatives like the 'world's longest footpath run' in Bengaluru and advocacy from groups like Walking Project in Mumbai are shedding light on the poor condition of footpaths in Indian cities, calling for comprehensive upgrades to ensure accessibility and safety for pedestrians and emphasizing the need for policy shifts to prioritize walking infrastructure.
Revamping India's Footpaths: A Movement for Pedestrian Rights
Revamping India's Footpaths: A Movement for Pedestrian Rights
Citizens are mobilizing efforts to improve the walking experience in Indian cities, addressing the myriad obstacles that pedestrians face daily.
In India, the fight for pedestrian-friendly cities is gaining momentum as citizen activists confront the numerous challenges faced by those who walk. In Bengaluru, Arun Pai founder of Bangalore Walks, embarked on a project titled the 'world's longest footpath run,' where participants walked an 11km stretch to identify and document obstacles like vendors, broken slabs, and litter on footpaths. This initiative seeks to provide actionable feedback for improving specific locations, changing the rhetoric around poorly maintained footpaths.
Despite representing nearly 50% of the population relying on walking for transport, pedestrians are consistently overlooked in urban planning. Organizations like Walking Project in Mumbai have created a 'pedestrian manifesto' aimed at holding local politicians accountable ahead of state elections. The manifesto calls for enhanced pedestrian corridors and designated hawking zones, advocating for greater consideration of pedestrians, especially after pedestrian fatalities gained alarming recognition in government reports.
Geetam Tiwari, a civil engineering professor, emphasizes the standardized neglect of pedestrian infrastructure due to a fixation on vehicular traffic. Solutions like creating interconnected footpaths could not only improve public safety but also reduce the carbon footprint, as highlighted by a study in Chennai where footpath upgrades saw a decline in motorized transport usage.
Experts argue that rather than patchwork solutions, comprehensive pedestrian-friendly policies should be adopted at both local and national levels, urging cities to establish Non-Motorised Transport Policies to benefit cyclists and pedestrians. The call for a shift in urban infrastructure priorities is louder than ever, as citizens demand that walking—a fundamental part of city life—receives the attention it deserves.
