Challenges for Pedestrians in Indian Cities

Pedestrians in India frequently encounter numerous impediments on footpaths, often finding it difficult to quantify them, yet consistently reporting the poor state of these pathways. Arun Pai states he discovered this reality while inquiring about walking experiences in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), his city in southern India. This month, he initiated a “fun challenge” named the ‘world’s longest footpath run’, encouraging individuals to walk or jog an 11km (8 miles) footpath segment. Participants were tasked with documenting all encountered obstacles, such as hawkers, refuse, or damaged concrete slabs, and subsequently rating the footpath on a one-to-five scale. Mr Pai explains, “When you have specifics, it gets easier to ask the authorities to take action. Instead of telling your local politician “the footpaths are bad”, you can ask him or her “to fix specific spots on a street,”.” Mr Pai, founder of Bangalore Walks, a non-profit dedicated to promoting walking, is one of many citizen activists advocating for more pedestrian-friendly roads across the nation. In India’s capital, Delhi by Cycle, a tour company, has been championing efforts to enhance the city’s cycle-friendliness and walkability. These proponents of walking are organizing awareness walks, developing walking applications, and engaging with politicians to instigate improvements. Even within India’s major urban centers, adequate footpaths are scarce and frequently encroached upon by hawkers, shops, parked vehicles, and livestock. In certain areas, these pathways also serve as residences for impoverished individuals. Existing footpaths often fail to meet construction standards or receive proper maintenance. Traversing roads on foot amidst crowds and traffic can prove exceptionally challenging. Last month, Walking Project, a citizen’s organization based in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, issued a ‘pedestrian manifesto’ prior to the Maharashtra state elections. This document aimed to draw attention to the city’s substandard road conditions and urge local politicians to intervene. The manifesto’s provisions included calls for improved parking, designated hawking areas, pedestrian-friendly pathways on main thoroughfares, and enhanced footpath accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments. Vedant Mhatre, convener of Walking Project, states, “Government statistics show that almost 50% of the city’s population relies on walking, which is far greater than the 11% that uses private transport and the combined 15% that uses tuk-tuks and buses,”. He further adds, “And yet, pedestrians are the most ignored group of users when it comes to framing policies around transport or road safety,”. The most recent government figures on road accidents indicate that pedestrian deaths ranked second only to those of two-wheeler occupants. In 2022, national highways nationwide recorded over 10,000 pedestrian fatalities and approximately 21,000 additional injuries from accidents. Mr Mhatre observes, “Authorities often resort to band-aid solutions like adding speed bumps or a signal to curb road accidents. But what is really needed is inter-connected footpaths that can accommodate high footfall,”. Research indicates that resolving the issues faced by this overlooked category of road users can yield advantages for various stakeholders. In 2019, researchers in Chennai, a southern city, investigated the effects of constructing new footpaths across 100km (62 miles) of its streets on the environment, economy, and the health and safety of its inhabitants. Their findings revealed that the new footpaths prompted 9% to 27% of surveyed individuals to choose walking over motorized transportation, resulting in decreased greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter. Furthermore, they discovered that these footpaths created new prospects for women and lower-income demographics, contributing to financial savings. The survey underscored that individuals with disabilities and women may have specific, nuanced requirements for footpaths, and that customizing improvements to address these needs could improve both accessibility and equity. Mr Mhatre states, “Very often, people don’t have a benchmark for footpath quality, especially if they haven’t travelled abroad or been exposed to places that have good facilities for pedestrians,”. He posits that this lack of a benchmark contributes to insufficient public outcry regarding the condition or scarcity of footpaths nationwide. He additionally notes that the majority perceive walking as a recreational or exercise activity, thus limiting their association of walking infrastructure to gardens or dedicated tracks. In actuality, people walk to diverse destinations daily, implying a much wider scope for walking infrastructure. Mr Mhatre asserts, “Walking is the most economical and environment-friendly way to navigate one’s city and it’s high time our leaders paid as much attention to walking infrastructure as they do to public transport,”. Geetam Tiwari, a civil engineering professor, identifies the primary issue as an excessive concentration on alleviating car congestion on roadways. She explains, “To improve the flow of traffic, authorities often narrow down footpaths or eliminate them entirely,”. Ms Tiwari considers this strategy problematic, as it impedes pedestrian access to public transportation systems such as buses and metros, which could otherwise reduce road pressure. She suggests, “It might seem counter-intuitive, but allowing the congestion to persist and focussing on improving infrastructure for pedestrians will help solve the traffic problem in the long run,”. Ms Tiwari further recommends that the federal government mandate states to adopt the guidelines provided by the Indian Road Congress, a national body responsible for establishing road and highway design standards. She notes that cities also have the option to implement their own Non-Motorised Transport Policy (NMTP) to develop superior infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. She concludes, “At the moment, only a handful of cities in India have experimented with a NMTP but its time more cities step up to the plate,”.