What the people of Bengaluru need: A city for pedestrians

Earlier this year, in response to the call by the Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Janaagraha as a part of their MyCityMyBudget campaign, hundreds of volunteers across the city helped gather data from citizens on city pavements. Encouraging dialogue between stakeholders and the BBMP Commissioner engendered hope that this year, finally, the city would get what it sorely needed.

Unfortunately, the Rs 20 lakh allocated per ward in the budget is so unrealistic that it feels like mere tokenism. The BBMP plans to spend Rs 4 lakh per kilometer across every ward. Contrast this with TenderSure footpaths that cost approximately Rs 2 crore/km, which is 50 times higher than the current allocation.

To understand the real problem, let us ask: to whom does the city belong? And who belongs to the city?

Indian cities are overwhelmingly occupied by lower and middle-income residents. Solely from the standpoint of mobility, the city ought to cater to those who use public transport and various pedestrian facilities. Instead, our cities are built for the elite minority: the private vehicle owner.

Misguided approach

This misguided approach partly has its roots in foolish aspirations that make our politicians announce that Bengaluru will be the next Shanghai or Singapore. Some part is due to the nexus with the automotive sector. Still another part is the use of outdated planning paradigms that are rooted in Western, not local, thought. And part is just lack of interest in creating a liveable, pleasant urban environment that is fit for the many, not the few.

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A city that responds to the lowest demographic denominator – perhaps a poor woman from a minority community – is a city that is worth living in. This is a city for pedestrians, for people, not vehicles.

Perhaps, if politicians had taken a leaf from Singapore’s planning book, they would notice that a bias towards pedestrian and public transport facilities, and disincentivizing of private transport (among other measures) form the backbone of their thinking on mobility. Glib goals invented via superficial knowledge of a city or country do more harm than good.

Mindset change

So, the first change that must occur across the spectrum is a change in mindset. Our basic planning paradigm must shift from a city that foregrounds vehicles, especially private vehicles, to a city that foregrounds pedestrians. This change must happen at the policy level, then filter down to administration, and then become a standard for the city.

We ordinary citizens must transform our mindsets too! Misinformation, ignorance and disinterest in pedestrian infrastructure has not only perverted advancement but has stymied the efforts of citizens activists trying to bring about improvements.

Explained | The standards a footpath must meet

Second, a set of standard norms must inform the work being done all over the city. TenderSure roads have gone a long way in setting standards for new pavements being laid across Bengaluru. However, when the budget for any given project falls short, even basic standards are relinquished.

Adequate pavement widths, correct material specifications, water permeability, provision of shade, ease of access and walkability – there must be no room for negotiation on these basic requirements.

Alignment of thinking

Third, at every level of the BBMP, there must be a clear alignment of thinking that is in favour of the pedestrian, right from the executive level to the person supervising the work on the streets. The sort of callousness that one sees in public works, with utter disregard for the end product and the user, has resulted in absolutely unusable footpaths. Most ‘footpaths’ exist only in name.

There is much ground to be covered when one talks of pedestrian mobility, so the allocation of Rs 4,000 crore towards pavements is just a drop in the ocean. But, hopefully, this is a starting point to something better in the years to come.

(The author is an architect and founder of Malleswaram Social)