Curious case of missing footpath

Though footpaths in Koramangala 4th block are well-maintained, encroachment is a big issue here. While on one side, the intoxicating smell of dal chawal lures quite a few hungry customers into various eateries, the foul stench from open drains gives pedestrians sleepless nights. Moreover, as you take a left from the signal near Maharaja Restaurant, you will see bikes and cars lining up the entire stretch. “Why do we have pavements here, if we cannot use them? Most of the times, I see bikes and cars parked on footpaths. During peak hours, most of the commuters, use this stretch to avoid traffic jams on 100 ft Road. Sometimes, it gets impossible to walk here,” said Sanchita Sharma, an MNC professional who stays in Koramangala.

As you walk further into the lanes, the footpaths get narrower or go completely missing especially near Halycon. According Ruchita Khanna, a resident of Koramangala, many a times, several people take their two-wheelers over the footpaths to avoid traffic. “Once, a guy yelled at me for blocking his way. Such ridiculous people exist in our society. Instead of blaming authorities, I think we need to learn to be more civilised. Most of the problems in this area is because of people. Footpaths are not so bad but I never get to use them, thanks to a bunch of uncivilised folks,” she said. Fighting for their lives amidst hordes of vehicles, several people prefer to walk on roads instead of putting up with furious motorists or encroachers. Mohan Raj, a resident of Jakkasandra, said that tackling speeding motorists is another issue here. “We need to be careful all the time. With footpaths being blocked by bikes and cars, pedestrians have no choice but to walk on roads. I think the only solution to this problem is strict fines. Once the authorities get cracking on people, the practice of shamelessly parking on footpaths might end,” he said. Apart from encroachment, broken slabs and incomplete maintenance work are some of the issues here. In fact on some stretches, there are no footpaths at all. Most of pedestrians claimed that the situation hasn’t improved in the past one year. Despite repeated calls, the corporator was unavailable for comments.