Pedestrians, watch out for new hazards

Pedestrians, watch out for new hazards

Staff Reporter
Pavements have become free advertisement slots


THE NEW CULPRIT: An advertisement board which has encroached upon the space meant for pedestrians at Sanjaynagar in Bangalore.
BANGALORE: Pedestrians have new hazards to watch out for on Sanjay Nagar Main Road. It is not just the traffic-choked roads that pedestrians should avoid. Even the pavements are full of advertisement boards that hinder their free movement.

The advertisement boards put up illegally by the shopkeepers are proving hazardous for the pedestrians who have to edge their way along the sides of the pavements.

Recently, scientist M.S. Narasimhan, a 77-year old resident of the locality, had a near fatal fall when he was walking on one of the pavements trying to make his way around a particularly obstructive board advertising a rice shop.

Mr. Narasimhan, who has been discharged from hospital, said, “Shopkeepers cannot put up advertisements anywhere they wish to. The authorities must be vigilant about such inconveniences posed by shopkeepers to walkers.”

This accident had left Mr. Narasimhan with six broken ribs.

Mr. Narasimhan’s wife and consumer rights activist, Shankuntala Narasimhan, said, “The roads here are narrow and these hoardings take up even the little space available for the walkers. How can the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike allow this to happen? It is wrong that there is a hoarding next to a staircase blocking the pavement.”

When contacted, a BBMP official confirmed that such advertisement boards are illegal. To a question, the official said, “We will soon take action against such shopkeepers and ensure that the pavements are cleared of the hoardings.”