Most of the fatal accidents in roads are due to pedestrians preferring surface crossing rather than subways.
However a recent survey conducted, indicates that a large number of people prefer surface crossing rather than subways. One of the contributing factors why the pedestrian abstain the use of subways is because of their dilapidated conditions and neglect. For instance, the TOI, in its recent article, highlighted the pathetic condition of the subway at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. It has been lying in a state of neglect for the past one year. Pedestrians face lot of problems, especially in the evenings, as only one portion of the subway is lit. The pedestrians are at risk in dark subways, as it is dimly lit and filthy. Apart from being dingy, the subway also has a poor drainage system. During monsoon, it gets submerged in ankle-deep water.
As usual the civic agencies tried to pass the buck. However as the issue got publicity through TOI, which gave prominence in its columns, in less than 24 hours, the massive repair and maintenance work was carried out, which transformed the dark subway and it wore a new look with freshly painted walls, new tube lights and clean drains.
Moral of the story, any problems find TOI correspondent to highlight in its paper and you will see light at the other end of the subway. Let us hope that all subways get a rapid transformation and pedestrians get the benefit.
It is really a good idea… Congrats !!!
Rgds
Manoj Kumar Das
In Mumbai also majority of subway are not lit properly. Some preferred sub way occupied by hawkers, make public inconvenience. Similarly foot path occupied by hawkers. Absence of escalator make inconvenience for aged, handicap and patients.
Traditional sub-ways will not solve the problem for the obvious reasons – badly constructed and maintained, dingy, stinking, security risk, molestations, drug-addicts infested, etc., etc. further, they are not user friendly either as our babus do not wish to try innovations in construction design and stick to what british did perhaps in 1913 (if ever they had subways then).
To overcome these problems, the simple design for construction would be depress the road by three feet and raise it as well by four and a half feet, enough room for a tall man to walk in, easy and cost effective construction, huge savings in construction (Babus and Netas will not like this as the scope for making money is reduced drastically)no electricity required during the day, safe for all, tendency to avoid climbing down 10 feet and then climb up 10 feet is removed as only a few steps would be required go down and climb up, can be kept clean, old and physically handicapped persons would find this as great service done to them, etc. being qualified engineer, I find it not only feasible but would be boon to the society-less pedestrian deaths as well.
Who will bell the cat?
To ensure pedestrians use side walk, it is important to engineer sidewalks first, educate the people and enforce rules systematically like every other aspect of modern living.