The single biggest activity promoting good health is walking, but Chennai is notorious for its hostility to walkers.
Governments investing tax money of citizens should naturally consider whether their projects benefit the maximum number of people. At the very least, they should refrain from spending money in a way that adds to the misery of the population.
Chennai’s administrators are colossal failures in this regard. To them, a good city is measured by ever wider roads, no footpaths, and constantly flowing vehicular traffic — and they will not hesitate to spend staggering amounts to ensure that. Our civic leaders should rethink their unintelligent policy approaches for a variety of reasons. Here are some compelling ones.
There is a strong connection between the nature of the city — or built environment — and public health. The single biggest, near-universal activity that promotes good health is walking, but Chennai is now globally notorious for its hostility towards walkers — the Union ministry of urban development notes that the city has the worst ‘walkabililty index’ among comparable centres in the country, with non-existent or unusable footpaths.
How badly Chennai is faring can be assessed from the gap between official standards for road infrastructure, and that followed by agencies such as the Corporation of Chennai. Roads must have foothpaths — a minimum of 1.8 metres wide — on both sides, with non-mountable kerbs. That desirable standard was identified not long ago by a chief engineer of the Union ministry of road transport and highways at a national meeting on pedestrian safety.
A somewhat outdated standard of the Indian Roads Congress recommends, among other things, that footpaths on both sides must be at least 1.5 metres wide, with even wider footpaths at bus stops. Those who have lived in Chennai for long, including in the 1980s when we became a ‘car nation’, would remember such footpaths along Anna Road and other places. The city then fell prey to ‘road widening’, a walkers’ scourge that continues.
To return to public health, there is a clear link between walking and prevention of chronic diseases (diabetes and hypertension are prominent here). A study of users of a light railway system in the United States found that the risk of a higher Body Mass Index and obesity was reduced for those who walked regularly to the railway. Earlier studies have found similar correlations. Now that we will have a metro rail and already use other railways and buses, would it not help to have more walkability?
The city with the worst walkability score shows little understanding of universal design — the principle which says making things better for everyone makes them better for the disabled too. If our leaders can therefore unlearn their faulty policies and improve walking infrastructure, the city can help tens of thousands of disabled people — including the growing population of those with age-related disabilities. Did you know, for example, that every year, at least 3,500 persons in Chennai undergo knee replacement for relief from arthritic pain? These people need smooth footpaths to walk, as do all of us. So when spending precious public funds, our car-borne, treadmill-loving policymakers should put walkers first.
Keywords: urban planning, Urban Jungle column, Chennai roads, footpath, urban development, pedestrian rights
The major cause of road accidents is encroachments of side-ways and pathways. Pedestrian are facing greater risks of accidents. Footpaths on inside cities roads are badly congested, broken and occupied by vendors, shopkeepers, residents as a result walkers are exposed to traffic, which often results in accidents. The flooding vehicular mobility is a threat to walkers and causes enormous pollution. That makes cities air unbreathable. People fear to walk or cycle on killer roads.
Sir,
when the law do his job why so many comments comes. First the
street venders should not be sell in the foot path at any cost.secondly
the coffee bars trolly Tiffin stalls three the road side tea shops.who ever do the mistake he must be punished to the exent that others should fear of that punishment .If this is done public will support, to the offical & smooth going
Where is the side walk in Pondy bazaar, TNagar? I saw that gobbled by street vendors 3 decades ago? Who is to blame? Not just our politicians and policemen who do not impose laws. Its also our bleeding heart liberals who believe every vendor deserves a non paid public spot to hawk their wares. Their argument - we are helping the poor. Its another case of helping the poor gone wrong. Now where will the poor walk, when the rich drive by? Do any of you see the Pondy Bazaar street flower merchants or cell phone hogging cut piece cloth merchants exactly as poor? Give me a break.
Disciplined National behavior cannot be achieved in a country like India overnight,
It needs time and strict law/order in place to enforce those.
By fate india is Democracy now :(,
Democracy is a big failure for a developing Country like India.
Hyderabad fares equally badly or worse.
Timely or rather over-due article, this one.Even with narrow
footpaths, pedestrians will be able to go about. But there is a 'but'
to it. Take for instance the Egmore police station called F-2.
Literally next door to it is a shop which has intruded and taken over
practically the whole of the pavement. What can pedestrians do but
take to the over-crowded, traffic-jammed road? There are many such
blatant encroachments which makes one wonder 'why do we need the
police at all'.
I support Ravi's suggestion that the people can also do something about this. Stop buying from pavement vendors, even if they are cheaper. They don't pay rent and can be cheaper, but are taking away the tax payer's right to use the pavement and the road.
Not to be a pessimist. Is it even possible to walk out in those high temperatures with
high humidity? I think Chennai does need to find other venues to walk such as parks
and with water stations.
India, oh India!! Satish's comments sums up the whole issue. For India to get to the 'developing nation' status, will take centuries, if at all it can ever happen. Indians have no respect for India, Madras is part of such ethos and culture. People walk on the roads, bikes ride on the foot paths (I thought one of your actors did drive his car on the footpath!!). There is no law - if the system makes it illegal to do both, to build businesses on footpaths, highlights the consequences in writing, the courts can exercise them, police can enforce them. Is this a big deal in any developing nation (for God's sake, do not compare yourself with China and the West) to get this basic done, and that after some 65 years on self rule? No, it is not even thought of.
Why can't the TV Channels show few hours a day of how people live, live responsibly across the globe?
Thanks for putting this most relevant article. a few months back I was happy to see a 1.5 metre wide footpath coming up near my house in Chennai. I was happy that I could walk with my 4 year old daughter to the nearby shops without fear of the vehicles. But alas, it was not to be! The foot path has become a parking space for bikes and the hapless pedestrians are now forced to walk around the other 4 wheelers parked close to the footpath - literally the middle of the road, facing the wrath of the oncoming vehicles!
Abroad I have seen pedestrian facilities coming up before the new roads are buit. Here we have it other way. On OMR several lives have been sacrificed and now they are building the footpaths, which being wide enough, are going to be encroached by 4 wheelers and 2 wheelers, I am sure. God save the pedestrians.
Dear Sir
After reading your article on Foot paths in Chennai, I remember the
Foot paths in Pune, specially the Laxmi Road and others, I compare it
with the Atlanta/USA Footpaths where I am visiting, without any hinderness walk
miles together,the foot paths are for Pedesteriens for Humans, in Europe
Half of the Foot Paths are occupied by Parking Cars !!! any how no Vendors
or Beggers to be seen here or in Europe ! ( Population Pressure in India leading to
this situation, moreover the Management & Dicipline of the people) God save the
country from corrupt administration and people
This should be an eye opener for local policy makers and they should reflect on this and act urgently, reflecting can perhaps be done while they ride around in their cars paid for by us taxpayers.
Let us start a petition on a reliable petition site and get a target of one million signatures. In addition to this article, that should definitely wake up the dozing policy makers!
As mentioned by some already, even the constructed footpaths are allowed
to be encroached upon by shopkeepers, vendors and dwellers, even after
repeated pointings-out in various fora. It is not that the authorities
are not aware of the problem. Public space is considered their property
to be leased out for collection of mamool, which reaches high onto the
top echelons.
You cannot see a sidewalk in Chennai which is neat and without encroachment. The concrete slabs are protruding which will cut your legs if you are not very careful. It is more dangerous than walking on a rope over Niagara. As said in this article to accommodate the growing metropolis roads are widened to such an extent that when you enter some shops and get out , you will be on the road and not on the sidewalk. In America, Canada and in Singapore it is a pleasure to walk.Sidewalks are neatly paved and you will never see any hawkers selling his goods on the sidewalk. We give scant regard to hygiene, ethics and civic sense. We are the ultimate sufferers.
It is obviously true. The footpaths are really meant for walking but in chennai it is not that case instead only share autos and the two wheelers flow not allowing any people to walk because of more traffic in the roadways.Even if the footpaths are wider enough the two wheelers and autodrivers are not allowing to walk through the way.It must be strictly followed that only people walking should use the footpaths and the other vehicles must flow in the roadways. This increase in transport facilities to chennai people make them lazy to walk so government can implement some rules to make people walk instead of using vehicles. This can reduce the pollution and can make chennai residents to stay healthy.
Please do not blame politians , govt official for everything. First let the citizens be more responsive in not putting illigal pavement shops and blocking the pavements . Let the citizens dont buy anything from these pavement shoppers. let the general two wheeler drivers go on to the pavement , let them drive their vehicles in lanes.
People need to realise that a disciplined national behaviour is a must and no amout of law , or politician can change India unless the common man realises his mistake and correct him
Another problem is garbage piled up on footpaths and huge holes in the footpath, thanks to various maintenance workers. Some of these holes are big enough for a child to fall through..
On behalf of poor Chennaites I thank The Hindu& Mr.Ananthakrishnan for bringing this basic infrastructure issue once again to the fore! Nelson manickam road, where peak hour trafic is one of the worst in the city, is an ideal example for this issue. Here majority of the road there is no side walk, if at all there, it is occupied by street vendors, kaiyendhi bhavans, shop ramps, telephone/electrical boxes/poles, open man holes, debris dumping et., Our authorities or worried only worried about CM/Governor/Minister routes. Public has no value here, whatsoever except during poll times. God Bless India! Let us wait for Anna's team to take over!
"When spending precious public funds, our car-borne, treadmill-loving policymakers should put walkers first"
A well written statement by the author.Today, the footpaths in many cities are dominated by enchroachments, potholes etc. We should be suprised to see footpaths which are levelled and maintained properly. Some bike freakers still love to take their ride on the footpaths than the roads which are not actually meant for. Having travelled to few western countries now, the kind of importance which our Govt showing for disabled and aged people is really bad and should say India is too far incomparable in maintaining the road infrastructure standards. Hope this article provides a wake up call for the Government to come up with some measures.
A country of Indifferent citizens, with no pride, no patriotic
feelings, a nation-state just bound by geographical demarcation with
NOTHING to bind them together, except the constant harping on
culture, tradition,Hinduism,whatever!! We continue to live in silos
of religion,caste,community,region,language, with least pride in a
Nation state!! So.....we would languish forever, since we are
congenitally myopic!
Eventhough we have hundred reasons to have a walkable footpath alongside
any road, the local administration don't find even one good reason.
Either those so called local administrators don't walk at all or find
their "newly acquired" acres of land to do the private walking. It shows
that they are very much aware of the goodness of walking but just that
they dont want to pass the same to general public. How responsible...
the city which doesn't have footpaths it doesn't love its children and
old people..
in India the money spending on walking facilities is very much
low...this has to be changed... when walking facilities are
provided,people will be encouraged to use public transport ultimately
which leads to less traffic.
Whatever footpaths there are, are really badly maintained. The administrators couldn't care less for the elderly and the handicapped. I feel ashamed to call myself a resident of Chennai.
The situation is the same everywhere in India. Footpaths should be wide enough to take the peak pedestrian traffic. Traffic police should encourage pedestrians to use the footpaths and pedestrian road crossings instead of walking everywhere on the road. Making sure that pedestrians do not stray into the road is also a vital part of traffic management.
In Trivandrum, there are a few footpaths that are obstructed by large trees. One can argue about the environment, but what is the point of having a footpath, if the pedestrian has to jump on to the road every time a tree is encountered. Probably, the government can lease social forestry land to some of the environment groups to manage instead of settling for trees on foot paths.
The disappearance of footpaths for making way for motorized vehicles is
a pan-Indian phenomenon. It is not just pedestrians who are at
disadvantage but also cyclists. The roads are increasingly
being reserved for motorized personal vehicles.
The Right to Walk Foundation is a Hyderabad based NGO campaigning for pedestrian rights. The reasons for the disappearance/non-existence of footpaths are several.
Among them as already pointed out is the encroachment of footpaths by shop keepers. Occupying footpaths for parking of vehicles seems to be a pan-India issue. But let us look beyond encroachment and take stock at the problem itself and why footpaths are encroached and why the carriage way is not?
There is no authority in charge of pedestrian safety even though 70% to 80% of our population needs to use footpaths and pedestrian crossings. Most importantly, pedestrian infrastructure is not included in the planning commission definition of infrastructure and hence big infrastructure companies are not part of the projects involving pedestrian infrastructure.
The reason for disappearance of foot path along roads are encroachments by shops.Unless there are stern actions by governments it is waste to provide footh path will eventually enjoyed by shoppers.Not only foot paths but also cycle tracks to be introduced to promote more public health.Already our culture polluted with various types of encroachments not only on road but also at various levels.This penetrations hard to change.Even the government compensated various encroachers at various places including water bodies.Unless there is civil awareness the government alone cannot do anything on this.
One can also add Coimbatore to the list. Walking is a dangerous activity during
business hours. Moreover, the flyovers are constructed in a manner that has not
provided basic, direct connectivity between neighbourhoods. The driver's in
general namely the biped, tri-ped and quadra-ped versions are seemingly
programmed to treat pedestrians as non-entities to be simply run over. The scale
of the problem might be smaller in a tier-II city, but will only increase as time
progresses. This is a result of the basic failure in urban planning, where the wishes
of certain sections of the community are simply ignored during the initial design.
When motorized transport is given all the rights and walkers none , this is the
result!
This is a very good article bringing to light the need and use of footpaths. I
have been living in chennai for 28 years and have seen how a lot of things have
changed or disappeared. What is worse is that the attitude of people has changed
drastically. Look at the picture above, how a motorist is driving on the footpath, behind a man walking. Does he not have basic sense that he
should not be doing it? If this awareness can be brought, then people can walk safe.
Its a dream that needs to be fulfilled. Chennai with useable pavements devoid of
beggars, street vendors will be the single most visible achievement of any
government of TN. Good Luck!!!
Please Email the Editor