<p>Bengaluru: Following the Supreme Court's directive to states and Union Territories to frame guidelines ensuring pedestrian safety, stakeholders in the city who welcomed the decision also stressed its importance for accessibility, road safety, and traffic flow.</p>.<p>On Wednesday, the Supreme Court observed that the right to use footpaths without obstruction is an essential part of the fundamental Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The bench directed all states and Union Territories to draw up guidelines for proper, unobstructed, and disability friendly footpaths within two months.</p>.<p>The directive is timely, coinciding with the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, which aims to make walking and cycling safer.</p>.Karnataka High Court orders banks to allow woman to operate accounts of comatose husband.<p>Reacting to the development, G Ravi, Head of Disability Programmes at the Fourth Wave Foundation, said, "As a person with a disability, I welcome this. Pavements today are not at all accessible; sometimes I have to step up nearly six inches above the road, and many have obstructions. My question, however, is how the Supreme Court will monitor and ensure that systems are in place for effective implementation."</p>.<p>He believed that the government should hold stakeholder meetings involving persons with disabilities and senior citizens and provide clarity about the roles of various departments in ensuring accessible footpaths. "Budgetary provisions are essential to implement these guidelines, or they will remain mere paperwork."</p>.<p>Rajkumar Dugar, Founder of Citizens for Citizens (C4C), emphasised that improved footpaths — along with including road crossings in the guidelines — would reduce vehicle dependence and positively impact the city’s traffic flow. "We must have a model footpath, including benches and trees for seamless walkability within a 500-metre radius around every major bus stand, metro, and railway station," he said, noting that fixing the positioning of drainage pipes is also critical to improving footpaths.</p>.<p>Chetan Sodaye, Programme Manager, Integrated Transport and Road Safety at WRI India, pointed out that the BBMP’s 2025 budget reflects a shift toward prioritising pedestrian infrastructure. </p>.<p>"Point 56, the 'Pedestrian First' principle, commits to constructing 1,000 km of footpaths, not just by upgrading existing ones, but by creating new footpaths where none exist, across arterial and sub-arterial roads. This marks a significant policy direction that recognises walking as a core mode of urban mobility. The recently launched 'Namma Raste Kaipidi' further strengthens this commitment by providing a comprehensive street design manual.”</p>.<p>He added that successful implementation must prioritise quality, continuity, and universal accessibility, requiring coordinated action among civic agencies, regular maintenance audits, and active community involvement.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Following the Supreme Court's directive to states and Union Territories to frame guidelines ensuring pedestrian safety, stakeholders in the city who welcomed the decision also stressed its importance for accessibility, road safety, and traffic flow.</p>.<p>On Wednesday, the Supreme Court observed that the right to use footpaths without obstruction is an essential part of the fundamental Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The bench directed all states and Union Territories to draw up guidelines for proper, unobstructed, and disability friendly footpaths within two months.</p>.<p>The directive is timely, coinciding with the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, which aims to make walking and cycling safer.</p>.Karnataka High Court orders banks to allow woman to operate accounts of comatose husband.<p>Reacting to the development, G Ravi, Head of Disability Programmes at the Fourth Wave Foundation, said, "As a person with a disability, I welcome this. Pavements today are not at all accessible; sometimes I have to step up nearly six inches above the road, and many have obstructions. My question, however, is how the Supreme Court will monitor and ensure that systems are in place for effective implementation."</p>.<p>He believed that the government should hold stakeholder meetings involving persons with disabilities and senior citizens and provide clarity about the roles of various departments in ensuring accessible footpaths. "Budgetary provisions are essential to implement these guidelines, or they will remain mere paperwork."</p>.<p>Rajkumar Dugar, Founder of Citizens for Citizens (C4C), emphasised that improved footpaths — along with including road crossings in the guidelines — would reduce vehicle dependence and positively impact the city’s traffic flow. "We must have a model footpath, including benches and trees for seamless walkability within a 500-metre radius around every major bus stand, metro, and railway station," he said, noting that fixing the positioning of drainage pipes is also critical to improving footpaths.</p>.<p>Chetan Sodaye, Programme Manager, Integrated Transport and Road Safety at WRI India, pointed out that the BBMP’s 2025 budget reflects a shift toward prioritising pedestrian infrastructure. </p>.<p>"Point 56, the 'Pedestrian First' principle, commits to constructing 1,000 km of footpaths, not just by upgrading existing ones, but by creating new footpaths where none exist, across arterial and sub-arterial roads. This marks a significant policy direction that recognises walking as a core mode of urban mobility. The recently launched 'Namma Raste Kaipidi' further strengthens this commitment by providing a comprehensive street design manual.”</p>.<p>He added that successful implementation must prioritise quality, continuity, and universal accessibility, requiring coordinated action among civic agencies, regular maintenance audits, and active community involvement.</p>