CHENNAI: The State government spends crores of rupees every year to lay and repair footpaths. But are these footpaths public friendly? Broken tiles, encroachments, or even the non-existence of footpaths, have been major problems in Chennai since time immemorial.
To tackle this issue, the city corporation had collaborated with the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), which had presented a complete streets design manual that identifies the different functions of streets and emphasises the need to design complete streets with space for all users. It includes a step-by-step process chart on how to design a complete street.
According to experts, good footpaths promote safe and comfortable pedestrian mobility. They are accessible to all users, including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. However, if not constructed properly, they become a hindrance. Even with an adequate width, a footpath may be difficult to use if it is not continuous or is constructed with a high kerb and steps.
According to the document, a footpath should ideally continue across property entrances with a 0.6m-wide vehicle access ramp. Where there is not enough width for an entrance ramp, a footpath should slope gradually to reach the ground level at entrances. Also, if trees are present, the footpath should be widened through bulb-outs (extra side space) where unavoidable, in the parking lane to ensure there is enough space to walk. To ensure parking bays don’t act as additional traffic lanes, a different surface material should be used, according to the document.
All footpaths should be divided into three zones — pedestrian zone, frontage/dead zone, and multi-utility zone (MUZ). “The pedestrian zone is the centre, where people prefer to walk continuously without obstructions. The dead zone provides a buffer between the pedestrian zone and property edge,” the document states. The surface of the footpath should primarily be of a tough, anti-skid material to ensure usability and safety in all weather conditions.
Chennai was the first city in India to adopt a Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) policy, and among a few cities in the country to have built close to 100 km of footpaths for pedestrians. Experts say some important points like these must be kept in mind to make footpaths user friendly. For now, repairs must be undertaken to ensure footpaths are accessible.
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