Useable footpaths are the first step

Pedestrian safety remains one of the major agenda of SRRF. In a recent SRRF article, http://blog.srr-foundation.org/?p=1030; issue of reduction in road fatalities during the current year was discussed.

Another issue that SRRF has been working upon is the condition of pavements. In a recent article in TOI, the issue was also taken up. Some of the suggestions given in the UTTIPEC for footpath designing are:

  • All footpaths should be continuous and of the same height.
  • Height of a footpath should not be more than 150mm (5.9 inches).
  • Footpaths along arterial roads should have height of 100mm (3.9 inches).
  • Each footpath should have a ramp with a minimum slope of 1:12 (for a 6 inch footpath, a 720mm slope should be there).
  • In case a road is re-carpeted after a footpath is built, the height of the footpath can be reduced till 100mm. But its height should not exceed 150mm.
  • There should be tactile warning strips along each footpath for the differently abled. (It may be noted this is a legal requirement which administration must fulfill).

In an RTI filed by SRRF with PWD and MCD (Road) division, it came out that pedestrians are hardly a stakeholder while designing of the roads. This is a major lacuna in road designing resulting in poor pedestrian safety conditions.

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5 Responses to Useable footpaths are the first step

  1. Byomkesh Bhattacharjee says:

    Supreme Court\\"s order on the above issue is clear and without any reservation for the common good of all pedestrians. Unfortunately, as a citizen, we don\\\’t feel any discomfort for not having such facilities in our neighbourhood, as well as, not even concerned to make any effort to ensure its construction, repair and maintenance by the civic authority. This footpath facilities are always curtailed/misused by the Business Malls, Private Schools, Taxi Stands, Thelawalas selling their markendize near the road, specially near bus-stand, metro station entrance, road-junctions, sub-way entrance, etc. Interestingly, the officials of the civic body, local police beat and others of importance have a share of the booty and hence, no way to stop such continuous inconvenience and hazzards faced by the common man usuing footpaths.

  2. VIJAY KUMAR AGARWAL says:

    DEAR SRRF TEAM,

    ARE WE CONFINING OURSELVES IN EXCHANGING COMMENTS OR IS THERE ANY MECHANISM BY WHICH OUR COMMENTS IN BULK ARE SENT TO THE CONCERNED AGENCY OR SOME REPRESENTATION IS IN PLACE FOR THE GOOD OF MASSES ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS??
    AWAIT REPLY.

    V.K.Agarwal

    • Mr Agarwal,

      Greetings from SRRF,

      Your suggestion seems to be quite healthy. As you will agree that effective advocacy with government needs a lot of efforts, media campaigns and extensive research. It also involves a good amount of financial support. SRRF Dialogue is form wherein we try to bring forth various issues ranging from social, to environment and legal. It is a platform which empowers its members to opine on different topics. Further, the Dialogue has a number of active members who are associated with the government sector. We are hopeful these discussions would have some indirect influence on the policies of the Government.

      With warm regards
      Farah Choudhury
      Coordinator
      SRRF Dialogue

  3. C S N Murthy says:

    1. Why not amend the Motor Vehicle Act for penalising the motorcyclist who use footpaths for Driving ?
    2. Most of the footpaths are occupied by hawkers leaving very little space for pedastrians ?
    3. Can we have a Hawkers Day in each locality so that the roads are closed for traffic and on that particular day and these poor hawkers can earn their livelihood !

    • VIJAY KUMAR AGARWAL says:

      Dear Mr. Murthy,

      Your idea is very good however not new.

      In the past even SC has given its verdict to free it for the purpose they are built viz. “FOR PEDESTRIANS” Can you name parts of Delhi where it has been implemented?
      I shall visit that place to update my knowledge.

      I think some concrete measures are required to put all out pressure on the persons responsible, I repeat the persons not the agency. Either that person implement or leave his Govt./Agency job What happens in a private job if one is not able to perform??
      His services are terminated. Why differentiate between Govt. Job and Private Job?

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