Not so smart compromises

For decades, the default decongestion policy for the city was road-widening. Footpath width shrunk after every so-called road upgrade. But faced with explosive vehicular growth, the policy proved unsustainable before TenderSURE roads offered a pedestrian-first alternative.

Read | SuMA: A parallel movement for sustain-ability

Is this concept now being diluted under the Smart City Mission? The TenderSURE treatment had a clear focus on wide, walkable footpaths, and the St Mark’s Road, Residency Road and other upgraded streets in the Central Business District (CBD) stood out precisely for this reason.

Guidelines diluted

The dilution is clearly visible on Indiranagar 80ft Road, one of the many streets lined up for Smart City upgrade. The footpath is narrow at several stretches with obstacles galore. Although the road work is not fully complete, walkability appears to be a real issue as the path is not continuous.

Along the completed stretches of the road, pedestrians could be seen walking right on the carriageway. The footpaths, being unwieldy, narrow and poorly designed, seem uninviting and have already been encroached at several points by store-front extensions.

The traditional approach to road redesign, with its priority on motorised transport, had only served to widen the inequality between vehicle owners and walkers / cyclists. TenderSURE guidelines sought a rethink, providing for equitable distribution of the right of way with travel lanes of uniform width for motorised vehicles, safe intersections, continuous and well-lit footpaths, and cycle tracks.

TenderSURE impact

The impact of this approach, as visible on the upgraded CBD roads, is this: Non Motorised Transport (NMT) has now emerged as a viable choice of transport at least on these stretches with improved connectivity to public transport. People walk and cycle here because they can and want to, not because they have to.

Read | Why are main roads and footpaths treated differently?

This is precisely the reason why Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) want to have a say in how the roads are upgraded in their neighbourhoods. Indiranagar 100ft Road, for instance, is now all set for a smart makeover, and residents are keen that cycling tracks and wide footpaths are part of the redesign. “We are trying to work with the Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to integrate our ideas into their design. Yes, they are open to suggestions,” says Swarna Venkataraman from IChangeIndiranagar, a citizens’ collective.

Citizen suggestions

Here are a few proposals supplemented by architect drawings: “Parking integrated with the carriageway without inconveniencing pedestrians and cyclists, cobble-stone pathways that allow percolation of water, two levels of lighting so that the canopy does not obstruct, and more,” as Swarna explains.

The big idea is to make pedestrians and cyclists feel safe and confident. “We have two Metro Stations, the Indiranagar one and Swami Vivekananda Station on Old Madras Road nearby. We need some sustainable ways to cover the last mile, and that would mean good footpaths and cycling lanes with bicycle and e-bike stands. This will bring down the dependence on private personal motor vehicles.”

Mixed signals

Citizen groups have found a proactive partner in the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), willing to listen to their proposals and collaborate with BBMP to execute them. However, as sources in the mobility sector disclose, there is a signal from the very top of the governing machinery to go slow on the pedestrianisation and cycling lanes.

This could be unfortunate, says a mobility expert, since Bengaluru figures prominently in the India Cycles4Change Challenge launched under the Smart City Mission. The challenge is aimed at inspiring Indian cities to implement quick cycling-friendly interventions in the wake of Covid-19 with the support of their citizens and assistance from experts.

Being ‘unsmart’

In the words of Bengaluru Cycle Mayor Sathya Sankaran, shifting the focus away from sustainable mobility options and prioritising car lanes would be an ‘unsmart’ thing to do. “Building car lanes would be just pouring concrete on the road. They might as well shut down the smart city mission, the primary objective of which is to build smart mobility, smart benches, public spaces, smart bus stands…”

The way forward might be to see how the network of TenderSURE roads under the first phase have turned out, and stick to the original guidelines for all new upgrades. That redesign had led to safer intersections with designated crossings, refuge areas and an improved geometry for smooth vehicular movement.

A design analysis of the upgrade reads: “Four landmark intersections have reclaimed around 2,475 sqm of public space for the city, the first of its kind in Bengaluru. This has impacted the everyday mobility of one lakh children in an area with close to 20 schools and colleges.”