We Need to Prioritise People Over Cars

Who cares for pedestrians? Certainly not the system.

The word pedestrian is derived from Latin, i.e., pedester or pedestris which refers to those walking on foot. Interestingly, it is also used as a synonym for 'dull' or 'unimaginative'. While walking itself is a simple activity with many health benefits, as well as a universal and probably the most sustainable mode of travel for mankind, the facilities accorded to pedestrians, particularly in urban India, may well be described as dull or unimaginative.

India, traditionally, has witnessed thousands of pilgrims taking an annual devotee walk. Some traverse paths of more than 250 km to a predetermined destination. Concerted efforts to improve facilities en route are evident and undeniable. However, despite its importance on these specific routes, walking is a taken-for-granted activity and least prioritised when it comes to providing pedestrian safety in urban areas.

Pedestrian traffic accidents are commonplace. The challenges to an ordinary pedestrian on a daily basis are manifold. There is no act law which safeguards the interest and safety of pedestrians in India.

People in authority are either not sensitised enough or could not care less, to realise that a large segment of people walk on the roads, whether as last-mile connectivity from the metro station or any other public transportation to their workplace or home. They are scrambling for safety while crossing the roads or walking on encroached or damaged pathways that are no longer safe.

It is a mundane matter for the administrators, that there are pavements provided where they should be and that people walk on them. Occasionally, in cities like Delhi, motorcyclists and scooterists lap up the unrestrained and easy access to avoid traffic on the roads. Ironically, pedestrian paths along VVIP areas with no broken or missing manholes and with manicured hedges on the side, well-lit at night, have neither pedestrians nor motorcyclists reaping the benefits. In contrast, debris, broken manholes, missing path stones and uneven surfaces dominate areas where the ordinary pedestrian actually walks.

It is now becoming an annual predicament during the monsoon. Pathways disappear due to flooded roads, and the risk of injury is greater not knowing when you could fall into a ditch or inside an open sewer. Repair work is almost invariably undertaken just before the monsoons set in. And then, funnily enough, we begin complaining that the monsoons have set in earlier than expected. It is a perennial sight with pathways being constantly broken to be made new, and within less than a year again being in a shambles. What a colossal waste of time, money and energy!

Any modern, planned city must be known not only for its infrastructure and built environment but also for how the roads and pathways are designed, which should be people-friendly. The emphasis in our cities seems to be more on making roads comfortable and wider for those in cars and little attention is paid to the pathways for pedestrians. We do not have enough footbridges, though there is an effort to do so, but with bad lighting, maintenance, and access (Adchini in South Delhi was a glaring example until recently).

Have we ever wondered why the pedestrian avoids the footbridge? Why do we have escalators in shopping malls, airports, and other prime places and not in footbridges? Easy access is as important for the pedestrian as it is for the shopper. It is important that 'all' footbridges have lifts or escalators, and not only the ones in posh areas or VIP routes.

There is also a need for better lighting on pathways, clear road-crossing signs (creating an awareness of the importance of following road safety rules), forbidden encroachments, and proper drainage resisting overflows during the monsoon. After all, it is a fundamental right for pedestrians to be able to walk freely and safely without fear. And the same goes for the physically challenged and senior members of our society who struggle to walk without the fear of injury.

When Indian pedestrian walkways are not safe and walkable, female populations typically shrink in those areas. Pedestrian-friendly streets could be more economically productive because businesses usually thrive where walking is safe and easy.

A recent study by the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi, which evaluates the walkability of streets in the city during extreme heat conditions, has found that less than 33 percent of the areas assessed had both footpaths and were shaded. Streets are not meant for walking in the extreme heat. However, some streets in Delhi such as in Vasant Kunj and RK Puram are mostly shaded by trees, and the temperatures recorded there are lower than in the areas where trees are missing. The provision of amenities like water kiosks, water misting and seating stations make the areas pedestrian-friendly. Otherwise, people commuting on foot are exposed to extreme temperatures which could have dangerous repercussions on their health.

The time, money and energy spent on 'beautifying' VIP road pavements in Delhi may well be utilised in a more functional manner, i.e., in non-VIP movement areas. A classic example here is the absolutely deplorable condition of the road leading towards Rangpuri, beyond Vasant Kunj in Delhi. There may be hundreds of such examples across the city and elsewhere. We point this out as we have been using this for the last several months, and neither during the day nor at night have we found this worthy of being called a road.

Are the people residing in the area not worthy enough to deserve these facilities? We do not reside there but pity those who do.

Every day, 90 pedestrians fail to return home and approximately 165 pedestrians are hospitalised with injuries of varying severity, according to a Bosch report. Thus, pedestrians comprise half of road crash victims in Delhi itself, according to a Transport Department report. Also, pedestrian fatalities are under-reported.

Pontevedra in Spain, through its slowing vehicular speed across the city and improved physical activity and social connection, is seeing more people walking. From 2011 to 2018, there were no traffic deaths and CO2 emissions fell drastically. Encouraging pedestrian movement will create opportunities for healthier behavioural patterns, resulting in more meaningful engagement in cities, thus building a sense of community.

At a time when our national highways are seeing a major leap in terms of progress, these are drastic spoilers within the capital city itself. We in urban cities are stubbornly auto-oriented. Solutions need to be found and implemented thoughtfully.

Let's begin by showing more empathy to the walkers. A lot of urban expansion is unplanned. Smart cities need simple solutions - no rocket science is required here. Pathways (in all areas, not just roads visible to the VIPs) also need shaded benches where people can sit when tired, drinking water facilities, more convenience areas, clear signages and absolutely no two-wheelers to be allowed to take an alternate route.

Some years ago, as an experiment, Connaught Place's inner circle in New Delhi was closed to vehicular traffic on Sundays, making it available for pedestrians to walk freely without the fear of approaching vehicles. Taking a cue, if the residential streets could be turned into a playground for children on Sundays and interactive spaces for residents, it would strengthen social cohesion.

Such initiatives will make the streets and walkways safe and welcome accessible spaces for children. While it is also true that pedestrians indulge in jaywalking on the roads, not to forget their constant engagement on mobiles while walking, we may begin by giving them better roads and then expect them to follow the rules. Otherwise, there are always traffic challans.

We need to prioritise people over cars. In the fast-moving life, we see everywhere, we need to understand that in our journey towards sustainable and liveable cities, adopting slow mobility is becoming a necessity, and it offers a roadmap for urban development that values community, sustainability and a pace of life that allows citizens to savour the richness of their surroundings. You can appreciate heritage buildings better while walking, not zipping across in the cars.

For travellers, the best way to experience a city is by walking. It is at a human scale and at a pace that the brain can absorb, adjust and synthesise the environment around it. The subtle nuances of the city can only be experienced by pedestrians. All that pedestrians want is safe spaces to walk on.

Technology will help us re-imagine future pedestrian mobility. Smart technology could help show us specific walking routes, which could make our walks interesting with the minimum fear of crossing roads. Tracking systems and GPS could be used to prevent collisions with people and objects. It can make more and more people walk to nearby marketplaces and the workplace rather than going in their vehicles, thus saving fuel, mitigating pollution and increasing health benefits.

Going forward, we need to see lightweight and advanced technology methods such as wheelchairs to enable senior citizens and physically challenged individuals to move around, making them more independent. Urban Planners must explore new ways of making better urban spaces and its citizens less dependent on automobiles.

Punjab has taken the lead in implementing the "right to walk" by making it mandatory for all road-owning agencies in the state, including the NHAI, to provide footpaths and cycle tracks in all future expansions of existing roads and construction of new ones in the state. Chennai has designed and built pavements on large stretches of cities resulting in people walking on improved pavements who otherwise would have used a private motorised mode of travel.

Cities like Milan, Berlin and Paris, after the pandemic lockdown have been working towards making cities more pedestrian-friendly. Florence is considered the most walkable city in the world. In Asia, Tokyo is the most walkable city. In Belgium, employers incentivise cycling to work by offering employees a 'cycling allowance', discouraging movement by cars to nearby places. Discounts are offered for public transport.

All of this requires meticulous planning and execution, and coordination of a large number of stakeholders. It also requires collective action involving public participation and unified efforts. Cities like Delhi have the advantage of having very efficient and productive RWAs that can be roped into the process. Citizen groups can be incentivised to take it up in small areas and set a precedent. RWAs may be rewarded in this category as well.

As more and more people take to walking, with improved facilities, fewer vehicles, and better pavements, there is hope for the future.

[Vivek Sabherwal is an Architect and the first Indian to receive the honour of receiving a Master's Degree in Architecture from the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, USA, in 1995. Currently, he is the Director of the Apeejay School of Architecture & Planning, Greater Noida. He is a freelance writer and has written several write-ups for various architecture journals such as Architecture+Design, Inside Outside, Indian Architect and Builder, and Society Interiors. He was also a Sunday columnist for the Financial Express from 2004-2006.]