Among 21 Asian cities in which ‘walkability' index study was carried out, Chennai came last
With pedestrian footpaths either non-existent or unusable, Chennai's roads are among the least conducive walking spaces in the country, said Pawan Kumar, Associate Town and Country Planner, Ministry of Urban Development.
Quoting from a recent study (June 2011) undertaken by the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia), an NGO, Mr.Kumar said that Chennai scored a mere 47 out of 100 on a ‘walkability index.' Among 21 Asian cities in which a similar ‘walkability' index study was carried out, Chennai came last. “What is worrying is that within Chennai itself, the least walkable spaces are in the vicinity of public transit terminals,” he said.
Speaking here on Tuesday at ‘Municipalika,' an international conference on sustainable cities, Mr.Kumar said: “In most Indian cities, about 20 to 40 per cent of daily trips are by foot. A significant share of the investment made on mass transit systems must go towards providing pedestrian access. Cities must give space for walkers.”
On the question of safe pedestrian road crossings, Mr.Kumar again quoted from the CAI study. In a field survey among pedestrians, which was part of the study, 48 per cent of respondents said they prefer a ground-level crossing. “Technocrats might keep proposing expensive skywalks. But may be that's not what the people want. Decision makers must learn to listen to the people.”
Reflecting on the social equity aspect, he pointed to a study by Future Capital Research, a think-tank, which showed that poor and lower income families spend over 20 per cent of their monthly income on transportation. Mr.Kumar said that at least for their sake, cities must improve pedestrian infrastructure.
Dilipkumar Mahajan, Deputy Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, spoke about the success story of the city's Bus Rapid Transit System ‘Jan Marg' (which means ‘People's way'). Erwan Bizien of Parkeon, an on-street parking solutions provider, spoke.
Comments:
1. people prefer to walk on the roads rather than in the pavement (if one available) because the pavements give some gap for tree or to the access of the buildings very often which makes them to get down to the road and climb up to the pavements.. 2. our people has the habit to walk in the middle of the road., (as in this picture., the old lady is walking atleast some meters away from the edge of the road eventhou she has enough space for her.. 3. roadside vendors are one more menace, who force the walkers to choose the road..
ALL CAN BE SOLVED., IF THERE IS A STRICT RULE AND FOLLOWING OF THE RULE..
There is an imperative need to have a pedestrian movement to draw immediate attention to their plight as road users.Along with or instead of spending crores on flyovers,can the Govt not think of providing a footpath or a pavement free from encroachments.Presently it is seen wherever such so called footpaths are provided in residential localities it is more an adornment or a protection for the Compound wall it abuts.Some 'Green' project people think that the public property is theirs and grow plants or lawn or even plant trees.Some go to the extent of putting fences.The height of the footpath is another stumbling block.Without a continuous walkway, a pedestrian has to climb and descend every thirty or forty feet.What use does it serve except a criminal waste of public money. Unauthorised shops, vendors freely use the available pavement as they own it or have a right to it.Enforcement is totally lacking.Its used as Public toilet.