The city’s poorly maintained footpaths, uneven roads and make-shift shops on footpaths are a nightmare for every pedestrian. But it is most frightening for the senior citizens who have to brave the city’s road and infrastructure that has not matched up to the needs of senior citizens.
Acknowledging this aspect, the theme of this year’s International Day of Older Persons is sustainability and age inclusiveness in the urban environment. Raghavendra R. (76) is fairly independent and manages all his household chores on his own. But a walk to the grocery store is enough to make him feel helpless. “I live on the main road that has heavy traffic density. The foothpaths are occupied by vendors, and negotiating my way through moving traffic is quite scary,” he says. Sometimes he drives his car but now the frequency has decreased as he says young young motorists are not sensitive to the concerns of senior citizens. “Although my reflexes are still fairly good, I avoid driving due to the traffic and the poor lane discipline,” he adds.
Rama Rao (68), a resident of Malleswaram, says her family does not allow her to go out of the house on her own after she fell on a badly maintained road some time back. Many public places, including bus-stops, government offices and malls, are unfriendly for senior citizens, she says.
