According to you, how safe are footpaths in the city?
D Venkatesha Murthy: Footpaths are quite unsafe. There are instances where vehicles have hit pedestrians even while taking a walk on footpaths. Due to uneven footpaths, people choose to walk on the roads, which is much more dangerous as there is heavy vehicular movement always.
Laxmi Narayan: Footpaths are very important. If footpaths are in good condition, smooth flow of traffic can be ensured especially in busy localities where commercial establishments are set up.
Footpath also encompasses service lines underneath, serving multiple purposes. Hence, maintenance of the user-friendly footpaths which are free from broken slabs and other damages are important.
Have you reviewed the status of such footpaths?
DVM: Recently in our meetings, we have discussed about the restoration of footpaths in the city. Over 50 per cent of the footpaths have to be restored. Every old ward and new ward will be sanctioned a budget of ` 2 crore and `3 crore respectively once a year for their development which include the maintenance of the footpaths.
Budget is also allocated for the restoration and maintenance of arterial and sub-arterial roads. The responsibility lies in the hands of the contractors to maintain footpaths in a good condition and also restore them if required.
LN: Restoring footpaths is an on-going process. Every year we undertake maintenance and restoration of footpaths in Bangalore.
It is a constant and gradual process. We cannot bring change overnight. We have to restore footpaths with a limited budget which has to be distributed to every ward. On revisiting some of the footpaths, you will see the changes yourself.
Are there any inactive footpaths in the city?
DVM: Over 10 per cent of the footpaths in Bangalore are inactive.
LN: As for footpaths in areas where they are not required, we do not have the exact percentage.
But yes, there are a few footpaths like on airport road, where there are neither residences nor commercial establishment and in such places, the footpaths are inactive.
Most of the footpaths are encroached by hawkers, letting no space for pedestrians to walk? Are there any set of guidelines to evacuate them or do you impose any penalty?
DVM: We do not have any set guidelines to punish encroachers of footpaths or impose penalty on them. But the ward engineers can impose penalty and evacuate them. Since we cannot check each ward everyday, people should support us in restoring footpaths. Pedestrians must take a step forward to complain against the encroachers to the corporators or file a complaint in the nearest police station or even co-ordinate with the engineers to evacuate them. But the public is often not bothered; not just footpaths but even pothole issues, leakage of sanitary pipes, electricity wires laying on the roads posing danger to the passerby, garbage issue and others. Since, the population of the city is increasing constantly, our staff cannot supervise encroachments everyday. People should bring change by joining hands with us.
LN: According to Karnataka Municipalities Act 1964, we can evict hawkers and vendors who encroach footpaths. Imposing penalty indirectly encourages them to put up their make-shift shops or stalls on the footpaths over and over again.
How often do you use footpaths?
DVM: As I get down from the car, I am also a pedestrian.
LN: I often use the footpath around my residence or when I meet my friends. During inspection I have noticed uneven footpaths but they will be restored gradually.