Take a walk, but where?

TAKE A WALK, BUT WHERE?
Bangaloreans are entirely vehicle-dependent. Poor facilities for pedestrians is what makes them so in a city that’s perfect for walking
The Times of India

WHEN was the last time you chose your walking shoes over your car key? If you don’t remember, you belong to the majority. Bangaloreans don’t like to walk, even if it’s just for small, just-round-the-corner chores. But you cannot put the blame squarely on them: there are many reasons, and strong ones at that, why Bangaloreans fight shy of walking.

Either there are no pavements or if there are, they are uneven and dirty; street lighting is poor; motorists get precedence even at pedestrian crosses; the air is highly polluted; and chain and mobile snatchers are on the prowl.

But dare-devilry is still alive in the city. Aparajita Mukherjee, creative head at an events management company, has been walking four-and-half km every day to office and back home since December. “Initially it was difficult and my knees started swelling. But what took me an hour a few months ago now takes just half the time. When I get tired I sit at a bus
stop, or go into a music or book store. I keep a good pace but don’t tire myself out with brisk walking,” she says. The tools she carries to make the long walk comfortable: a pedometer to measure how much she walks, a water bottle, a rucksack that she slings in front, a wet handkerchief to cover her nose as protection against pollutions and a mobile phone that’s attached to a spring. “My phone is the heavy sort and I keep it handy in case I need to use it as a weapon. The spring is helpful because I can hurl it at someone if need be. I also dress plain, so I don’t attract much attention!”

But the everyday adventure has had its many benefits. She has lost 10 kilos; her back and knee pain have subsided; her blood pressure has come down; and her skin feels more youthful than before. “I cannot exercise because of a back and knee injury. And then I started putting on weight, which in turn, put a lot of strain on my body,” says this young woman.

Given a chance, Ashish Kapoor, head of a software company, would put on his walking shoes and do short distances on foot. But not in Bangalore. “In New York, you park the car once for the entire day and then either walk or take a cab. In fact, people prefer walking because you don’t have to wait at signals. Even on a crowded day there is no brushing against each other.”

He feels walking is fun in places like Singapore and New York because pedestrians and motorists maintain a lot of discipline. “Here walkers just loiter around; there, everybody has an objective and they maintain a speed,” he says.

Swati Ramanathan of Janaagraha agrees that people don’t feel safe to walk in a city where many places can actually be covered on foot. “The culture of the city has changed; wherever people go, they take their vehicle out. The state of the pavements and traffic also make walking difficult.” She still feels people should make at least short walks around their neighbourhood to create social zones for interaction. She also favours the setting up of car-free zones in commercial areas.