Pedestrian subways long overdue

Let’s walk that extra mile
Protect Pedestrians From The Fast And The Furious
Times of India

Bangalore: It’s a perilous journey for pedestrians in Bangalore. The choice is limited: Either hop over the gaps which were a pavement once or venture into the dangerous domain where vehicles battle each other for a share of tar.

Residents in the city are suffering for the lack of planning by the civic body. Bangalore is imploding after its massive growth. The roads are too narrow to accommodate the ever-expanding population and their machines. In the process, pedestrians are at the receiving end.

Subways were clearly not a priority for the city planners. And the few we have are conquered by beggars and vendors. Foot over bridges would have made a lot of difference for the city. The subways at bus terminus and hubs, where people have to switch from one mode of transportation to another, are as chaotic as the arterial roads. There should be a coordinated system with easy access to the taxi stand and auto stands. But sadly, there is no standard format for such things in Bangalore.

So back to the maddening world of the fast and the furious machines. Widening roads eat into the footpaths. There is simply no space for shoulder drains, ducts, lamp posts and kerbs on the city roads. And we are too behind to think of disabled-friendly pavements. The footpaths should have gradients both in residential and commercial areas. It should accommodate utilities like telephone kiosks and public toilets.

It’s high time the city had subways, foot over bridges and refuge islands between two lanes, where people can wait for the traffic to stop to cross. But, pedestrians also contribute to the chaos. “When there are rules for pedestrian traffic, rules are not followed by pedestrians themselves,’’ says Avanthika Sethi, a resident.

In the Garden City, green issues are hardly thought of, but they do grow some shrubs which later brandish their thorny skeletons from medians. Says BATF member Kalpana Kar, “You could have shrubbery at medians to curb light dips of vehicles coming from the opposite direction, but you can’t have shrubbery in a blind curve.’’