Socio Research & Reform Foundation

byDelhi Traffic Police on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 7:08am on Facebook Traffic Police,

This question comes to my head EVERYDAY when I drive to wrk n cross Nehru Place area. Thr is a subway n a foot-over bridge on tht stretch, yet al pedestrians prefer to climb ovr the divider railing n suddenly jump in front of cars and buses. So here r the Qs which all citizens of Delhi deserve an answer fr–

1. Are there any rules or guidelines to prevent pedestrians frm doing so while there r subways n pedestrian bridges available? 

2. Wud the car/bus driver b booked wid same charges as nrmal if the pedestrian jumps in front n gets hit? 

3. Who shud b held responsible of traffic jams caused by such menace?

4. Shud a hand signal by a pedestrian b taken as their right to walk all ovr the road expecting evry vehicle to stop?

5.  crossing, respecting the rights of pedestrians. If violated, DTP has rules to issue challans. Shouldn’t there be such rules fr pedestrians too fr violating driving space?

These questions were raised on Delhi Traffic Police Facebook page and as these questions concern everybody I thought I can respond in detail. It is a fact the city of Delhi has quite a number of Foot overbridges and subways and still a large number of pedestrians cross road at grade level, at times jumping the railings and always endangering their own lives. We conducted a survey of all FOBs and subways in the city and found many of FOBs and subways have serious problems. Most of FOBs do not have escalators making these difficult to use by aged and women. Many FOBs are not where these should be in the process making people cross roads at grade level. Conditions of many underpasses are not very good and because of bad lighting etc security of women remain an issue apart from issues like location of underpasses and related issues. 

In effect what is happening is people in general are crossing roads whererever they find convenient and many a times getting knocked down by vehciles also. This phenomena raises certain issues: We do not have sufficient crossings for people on most of the roads, wheverer facilities are there, there are limitiations of placements, issues of escalators, safety, bad conduct of pedestrians themselves in not using these wherever these eixst etc Also there is great deficiency in road safety awareness in people. As a consequence maximum casualties on roads are of pedestrians. 

Now the questions: Yes, pedestrians should use FOBs and subways wherever these are available. Regarding responsibility in case of accident, till now responsibility remains of the motorists even when pedestrian is using grade crossing despite facilites but this can be taken up during trials. Reasons why this is not a viable proposition is because at most of the places pedestrians facilites are not there. As on date motorist is booked even if pedestrian jumps in front of him, though defence can be taken in trial stage, as told earlier. Normally a hand signal should not be considered valid when pedestrians facility exist but as on date if accident happens motorist will be booked for the offence.

As on date in Motor vehicle act there is no provision for prosecuting pedestrians for crossing roads at non-specified locations for the simple reason that MV Act deals with offences by vehicles. There is a provision to book pedestrians for jaywalking but fine is so insufficient that prosecution becomes meaningless and process is cumbersome.

I think the note will not satisfy the conscientious motorist about ground reality but we should also keep in mind the penalty in terms of injury or death is of pedestrian if he commits mistake. Yes harassment is to motorists also but we are also aware that many motorist do not keep others safety in mind, leave alone pedestrians.

By Satyendra Garg, Joint CP Traffic