WATCH your step

WATCH your step

The pedestrian is the underdog in all traffic schemes — he has little or no space on sidewalks, and is forced to walk on roads and even flyovers!

Aarthi R | TNN


Bangalore: Geeta Lakshmi has already fallen three times in the last few days. An aged resident of Ulsoor, she walks from Ulsoor Lake to Netaji Road every day. The new dividers on the road have made her regular walk a nightmare. The dividers have been placed without repairing the footpaths on either side of the road, she says, still waiting for a way out.
Potholes, huge transformers, missing signboards, uneven footpaths encroached by hawkers, transformers and parked vehicles alongside unmanned junctions — these are just a few pedestrian hurdles.
The current trends might leave pedestrians with no right to way but there could be a change, with ABIDe resonating yet again with the age-old talk of pedestrian safety in its Road Traffic Management and Transportation policy, provided implementation is immediate, complete and continuous.
“We have some of the best roads and footpaths but many of the footpaths are encroached upon or poorly maintained,’’ M N Sreehari, traffic adviser and consultant expert, member of ABIDe, told The Times of India.
While places like Majestic and K G Road have good footpaths lost to encroachments, the roads leading to the broad junction connecting Old Airport Road, Indiranagar 100 Feet Road, Domlur and Koramangala still have no proper footpaths. Pedestrians here walk on roads, and the so-called footpaths are lined with construction debris uncleared for months, and overgrown weeds.
There are not many zebra crossings in the city. There are 15 skywalks in the city, but a few of them are used more for ad space. Pedestrians feel it takes more time using skywalks and prefer using the roads instead.
Globally, flyovers are made only for vehicles but one ramp of the City Market flyover leading into the market has only pedestrians walking on it. And this has been a practice for years, thanks to a bus stop on the flyover, as buses are not allowed to enter this way to avoid congestion in front of the market! “The Richmond Circle flyover is probably the only one across the world to have access to traffic control, stopping vehicles midway,’’ Prof Sreehari said. The city has 17 flyovers, but 16 of them within the city leave pedestrians with no proper place to walk and they opt to use the ramps instead!
“Be it planning an effective transport policy or finding a better way out for pedestrians, it’s a complex process and needs a systematic and coordinated approach. Further, it cannot be seen as an overnight remedy to the problems faced over the last many years.’’ That’s how Ramesh Ramanathan, co-founder of Janaagraha, puts it.
PERFECT PATH
As per the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards, footpaths need to have a minimum width of 1.5 m and 15-30 cm height to withstand 600 pedestrians per hour. Those near public malls/complexes need to have at least 2-3 m width, considering the heavy pedestrian movement in these areas. At least 50-53% of people in India walk on roads. And the case is no different for Bangalore. According to available statistics, 60% of people killed in road accidents (out of 810 fatalities last year), were pedestrians.
TREES ON THE WAY
One of the biggest challenges in maintaining footpaths, according to Prof Sreehari, has been that of trees. “Trees are essential, but not on roads. They should be restricted to a separate green belt area,’’ he said, and even if present, must be restricted to a height of 5-8 m and away from pavements. Roots of these trees break up pavements, proving to be a bigger hurdle. On an average, pedestrians face more problems in areas where there is no proper illumination. Roads from Hoskur Gate to Sampige Nagar and Ananthnagar have had no proper streetlights for the last five years. “Forget the pavements, there are no proper roads here,’’ complains Malathi Varadharajan, who lives at Ittina Neela Apartments near Gold Coins Club. The craters on the roads, absence of lights and increased stray dogs here have made the 3-4 km ride or walk on this road a nightmare during late hours, she says. Interestingly, a few other areas in the city have the best lights, but all illuminating the trees rather than the roads.
ABIDe short-term strategies FOR PEDESTRIANS High raised pedestrian crossings. 156 locations identified for this so far. 56 skywalks for the city, few of them with escalators. Pedestrians at MG Road, Brigade Road and other prominent public places to be insulated from vehicular traffic through barricades and wider footpaths. Need for ‘calm zones’ within a few areas in the city dominated by residential set-ups making it open only for pedestrians. This, to be identified with the help of traffic police.