Bengaluru on foot: Rediscovering history while paving the way for change

Bengaluru: Starting Sunday, BangaloreWALKS will organise morning walks to explore Bengaluru’s heritage while assessing the city’s walkability.

The initiative, themed “Explore BLR on Footpath”, involves participants covering 7–8 km daily, totalling 100 km across 15 walks.

The walks, starting at 7 am from metro stations, will feature an easy pace, coffee breaks, and selfie stops.

Arun Pai, founder of BangaloreWALKS, will guide the walks. “The number of registrations has exceeded expectations, showing citizens' willingness to participate and contribute to the city,” Pai said.

The programme aims to strengthen cooperation between citizens and government bodies. Pai stated that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) are active partners, encouraging broader participation.

He pointed to the role of positive citizen engagement in driving government action. Surveys during previous BangaloreWALKS revealed just 10 obstacles across 21 km of footpaths, contrary to initial expectations of 10 obstacles per kilometre. “People were pleasantly surprised and enthusiastic about reporting issues in a constructive manner,” Pai noted.

These walks promise a blend of heritage exploration and civic involvement, aiming to make Bengaluru a more walkable and liveable city.