Bengalureans have had a tough time negotiating roads dug up for upgrade under the Smart City Mission. But once the projects are completed, do they hope to walk freely? How do they perceive the perennial problem of walkability on the city roads? Here is a deep dive.
Swetha P, a resident of Subbaiah Circle has this to say: “A sidewalk is a part of life which guides you to your destination, and it is meant to protect you. When I see a damaged sidewalk, I feel broken myself. There is an uncontrollable anger which comes out at the government for non-maintenance.”
The anger is also triggered by the lack of response to multiple public complaints to get the sidewalks in and around Subbaiah Circle repaired.
For Ivy Carmel, a resident of Halasuru, “Sidewalks are very important for children, but they are so damaged in our area that walking is dangerous. It gets extremely difficult to step on, while evading the traffic on the road. When it rains, the footpaths get dirty and slippery, making them even more risky.”
However, event manager Deepa S has a different view. She says: “I don’t think the pavements are so bad. Under the Smart City Mission, efforts are on to make the necessary improvements. I have seen many changes over the past 10 years.”
During Metro construction, she agrees, many footpaths were damaged. “But in many places, they have built skywalks to help pedestrians to cross the roads. Many shopping malls have also caused damage to footpaths, but people need those malls. India is developing smartly, implementing new technologies, joining hands with many MNCs. So even though pedestrian walkways are affected, pedestrians are being helped in another way.”
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Austin Town resident Mark D laments, “The Smart City work has been going on in Bengaluru. I completely understand the need, but the space for footpaths has been shrinking. I don’t have any idea why the government feels only the main road is important and not the footpaths.”
He wonders why the government treats footpaths differently. “If there are potholes on the road, won’t the civic agencies rectify them as they might lead to accidents? The same logic should apply to footpaths as well. They should be well maintained to help pedestrians, young and old, to walk freely,” he says.
Mark is clear that if the pedestrian pathways are left in disrepair and not fixed urgently across the city, there would be civic unrest. “People will start protesting. The government imposes penalty on people for not wearing masks. Where the pedestrian roads are not proper, the corporator and MLA of the area should be pulled up and penalised,” he feels.