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Arjun Mahishi
Footpaths are supposed to be a safe place for all the pedestrians to walk on. It is
called a Foot-path because it is meant only for using your foot as a means of
transport. In the beginning when the footpaths started (whenever that is) they were
big and safe. Which is clearly not the case now.
They are blocked by health hazarding obstacles (sharp long metal beams and
stuff)
So these are the kind of things that keep humans away from the footpaths. We
would rather find it easy to walk on the side of the roads than footpaths.
BANGALORE: The road-widening, tree-chopping spree by the city corporation has left
precious little room for the pedestrian. Where is our space, is the question that haunts
every citizen who gets around on foot. Even footpaths have become the territory of
motorists. Hasiru Usiru, an environmental group, in its mobility manifesto has
underlined that most pavements are unusable because of poor quality surface, slopes,
very steep access points (often one foot high), and encroachments by parking and
moving vehicles (two-wheelers), electric transformers and illegal constructions. This
forces pedestrians to walk on the road alongside and even jaywalk between vehicles. On
the other hand, in market areas, the footpath is completely occupied by hawkers, and in
others, inconsiderate two-wheeler riders use it as part of the road.The state government
had allocated Rs 3,000 crore to improve footpaths and roads through the Bruhat
Bangalore Mahanagara Palike in the 2010-11 budget. For modernization and
development of footpaths in the Central Business District alone, BBMP had allocated Rs
20 crore, and an additional Rs 24 crore was allocated for development of footpaths in
other areas. However, development and modernization seems to be only on paper.V
Ravichandar, chairman, Feedback Consulting, underlined that for every two trips a
person makes to his workplace, one trip is on foot. BBMP's plan to develop more signalfree corridors has only led to road widening. Roads connecting Bangalore International
Airport and the Okalipuram-Yeshwanthpur signal-free corridor have failed to take
cognizance of the pedestrian as a road user.VEHICLES vs WALKERS Hasiru Usiru has
highlighted that there are 5,00,000 cars carrying only 7% of the population in the city,
which means that only 9 lakh people use cars. However, 38 lakh people commute in
5,500 BMTC buses and use footpaths to reach school, college, their place of work, or
home.Experts feel that the flaw lies in planning, and the solution can be sought only
through pedestrian-centric planning of the city. The city is for all, and the physically
challenged and senior citizens should also be considered while planning roads. At
present, uneven and narrow footpaths pose a danger for pedestrians.Instead of widening
roads, experts suggest widening of pedestrian walkways, and developing pedestrian
zones on streets with high density of walkers, like Gandhi Bazaar, Church Street,
Commercial Street, Avenue Road, MG Road and Brigade Road. To reduce the number of
private vehicles, the cost of parking should go up, they say.
REFERENCE:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Hail-the-pedestrianwiden-footpath-not-roads/articleshow/7400207.cms
January 6, 2014
A woman walks among motorized traffic in Bangalore, India. Pedestrian rights are often ignored
across India due to a lack in legal provisions for pedestrians, forcing them to walk alongside fast
moving traffic at great risk to their lives. Photo by jchessma/Flickr. Cropped.
Indias constitution guarantees every citizen a fundamental right to move freely throughout the
country. Today, this right is violated in most cities, as pedestrian infrastructure has taken a
backseat in the planning of Indian cities. Traditional Indian cities with compact development,
mixed-use areas, and walkable streets are being dismantled and redeveloped to make way for
sprawling cities and unending roads that cater to private automobiles. Policy recommendations
and design directives borrowed from automobile dependent, developed nations are changing the
form, structure, and context of modern Indian cities. Pedestrians are losing space on roads and
on-street parking often takes precedent over pedestrian infrastructure like paved sidewalks.
In order to reverse these trends and uphold the constitutional right of every Indian citizen to
unimpeded, safe mobility, the country needs a detailed document outlining pedestrian rights and
how to enforce them.
Legally, there are some avenues that offer protection to pedestrians, including the Motor Vehicles
Act (1988); the Indian Penal Code (1860), which provides for the penalizing of rash driving by
motorists who put pedestrians at risk; and the Rules of the Road Regulation (1989), which
outlines the responsibilities of motorists with respect to pedestrians. Most recently, the National
Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill (2010) mandates the Board to provide special
requirements for women, children, senior citizens, disabled persons, and pedestrians relating to
road safety and traffic management on national highways. While these laws provide some legal
protection to people walking on streets, they are inadequate due to two major reasons:
1.
The regulations are framed as a set of suggested responsibilities, not requirements, for
motorists.
2.
In the absence of defined rights for pedestrians, neither municipal authorities nor private
motorists bear any legal responsibility for the environment that is generated by their actions.
With all the above taken into account, we in India dont intend to serve you by the side of
our excretory deposits. Thats why weve put business on the other side of a different
footpath adjoining the commercial zone, thus forming the second line of control. It
branches out together with the streets into more footpaths, and as you hop and skip
through, youll discover that amazing athlete in you. Youll be struck by the vivacity of
Indias greatest retail industry housed here. Divide their total income by the cumulative
sum of space occupied, and youll be staggered by the revenue-per-square-foot; so much
it just might surpass that of Apples retail division. From cosmetics to garments, cell
phones to computer hardware, cutlery to cookware, and grocery to general household
supplies everythings under a few (umbrella) roofs. To further pamper the shopping
experience, after every few meters is a cool bar selling tea, soda, paan and cigarettes.
Seasonally, there are hills of mangoes and grapes, among the more common fruits and
vegetables. There is also a thriving services industry; shoe shiners, barbers, street
jugglers, acrobats, musicians and the more exciting tarot readers. In case guilt
encroaches your lavish spending there will be vagrants awaiting generosity.
Twined with all this commotion, product promotions yelling out prices at best bargains
happen as enthusiastically as the owner/salesmen themselves. Retailers here also find
innovative ways in raising capital e.g. by sale of Ad space on tree barks and lampposts
beside their outlets. They assume that for some reason, youll want everything they have
to sell. With customer-centric pricing in play, look upper class and youre expected to pay
more, unless you win the bargain game. On reaching a mutual agreement on the price, if
you change your mind, prepare to get cursed!
Larger footpaths around the area double up as parking lots. In a rapidly developing India,
construction sites are inevitable, and the owners have exclusive rights to use the
footpaths around for storing gravel and construction equipment. If any of that is not
present, at least be sure to find a cow lying on the footpath and chewing its cud like a
boss.
Obviously, all this pressure takes its toll on the feebly built concrete blocks. If youre
lucky you may end up not slipping into a sewer through the fault lines.
REF:http://www.the-nri.com/life/lifestyle/life-of-the-indian-footpath