No path for pedestrian

Pathetic Condition

Bangalore can hardly call itself a pedestrian-friendly City. Other than the poor condition of most of its roads, the fact that the existing footpaths are virtually unusable has always been a topic of discussion. Barring a few areas that boast of well-maintained walkways, most are broken, uneven and narrow, making them impossible to walk on.

Why the authorities never took the exponentially growing population into consideration is anyone’s guess. Yet it is the common man who bears the brunt, risking his life on a daily basis by venturing on to the main roads instead of using the footpaths.

Authorities inform that the maintenance work comes under eight separate zonal chief engineers. A basic inspection can show that some zones are better than others. “In our area, there are no broken footpaths. We do standard repair work and as and when we get complaints, we rectify specific footpaths that are damaged. Fines are also imposed regularly on defaulters,” says Munikrishna, who is in-charge of the Mahadevpura ward.

“Right now, we have been told to submit estimates for the maintenance work. We can’t spend from the ward amount till that is cleared,” he notes.

However, pedestrians find no solace in these words. “The less said the better about the pathetic state of footpaths in Bangalore. Footpaths around Tavarekere area just behind Christ College are almost non-existent. The pedestrians not only expose themselves to vehicular traffic but also pose a threat to those who are riding or driving on these roads,” points out Anusha Rao, a social media analyst.

“With the monsoons here, those who ride or drive have to deal with water-logged roads, a million potholes and to add to it, pedestrians who walk right in the middle of the road. That’s all thanks to the footpaths, or what remains of them,” she adds.

Encroachment on the footpaths is yet another problem, making the already narrow pavements even more dangerous. “Most footpaths are occupied by hawkers and street vendors, who are not supposed to be there in the first place. They further add to the obstacle race that one is forced to take on. To make matters worse, most of the footpaths are badly damaged, with slabs missing, broken paths and full of manholes,” says Rajib Roy, a professional. He also points out that the maintenance becomes harder when bikers freely use the footpaths to avoid the traffic on main roads.

While each area could compete over whose footpaths are worse maintained, those in commercial areas like Infantry Road, Avenue Road, Richmond Road, Koramangala, Church Street and Marathahalli are in a more pathetic state than others.

In fact, on many stretches of Marathahalli, one can find the footpaths gone missing altogether. “There’s a lot of garbage that is dumped by residents and companies on the pavements. Those who live here find it to be a quick means of disposing of daily waste. The sweepers are fairly regular but how many times a day can you ask them to come clean up someone else’s mess?” questions Shrishti, a resident of the locality.