In a city with an ever-increasing vehicular population coupled with ongoing Metro Rail work and lack of adequate footpaths, pedestrians and their safety are given scant attention by various civic agencies.
“According to National Crime Records Bureau statistics, in 2013, pedestrian deaths constitute nine per cent of all accidental deaths. With some effort on the part of pedestrians and government agencies, these could have been avoided. Footpaths along many roads are broken, narrow and unusable. Similarly, when a good footpath is constructed, people must be encouraged to use it,” said Ravi Damodaran, Citizen for Safe Roads.
When footpaths or crossing facilities are absent, pedestrians, like water, tend to find their way, said a comprehensive two-year-long study by Highways Research Station, a wing of the highways department.
The ‘Comprehensive Study of Accidents and Pedestrian Vulnerability to Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) within Chennai City’ has been conducted at important points across the city, including near Chennai Central station, Broadway, Guindy, T. Nagar, and Velachery.
The study brings to focus the chaotic situation prevailing at the junction opposite Chennai Central station. “There are three suburban stations around Central station and despite the presence of two subways and two foot overbridges, something comprehensive needs to be done for pedestrians. When people come out of the stations, it is like a torrent. For an hour from 8 a.m., 11,344 persons use footpaths or cross the road. Often, groups of people simply run across the road,” said a source associated with the study that rues the lack of safety and speedy movement of pedestrians.
Vijayan Kumar, a resident of Thiruninravur, said crossing the stretch late at night is even more difficult as the subways are closed then. “People would be rushing to catch the last trains, unmindful of the fast traffic on the road,” he said.
The study, conducted at 14 important junctions in the city, has been designed in such a way that pedestrian flow can be gauged accurately and not in any random fashion.
For instance, 25 locations have been selected for the Parry’s area covering NSC Bose Road, Esplanade Road, Frazier Bridge Road and Rajaji Salai. Similar is the case with the other 13 locations.
After studying the numerous deficiencies with regard to pedestrian infrastructure, like on-road parking, roadside vending, poor access to subways and inadequate width of footpath, it has provided suggestions for each of the points studied.
“The suggestions are being forwarded to the government for consideration and implementation. Already, some of the suggestions are being implemented by the highways department and the Chennai Corporation,” the source said.
A former planner said, in the past, the focus of various agencies has been vehicle first, pedestrian next.
“Now, that trend is slowly changing. Even the CMDA’s second master plan has suggested pedestrians be given priority. If accident rates are to be brought down, the focus must be on pedestrians. Obstruction-free footpaths must be created,” he said.
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Central station signal
6 p.m.- 7 p.m.
NSC Bose Road bus terminus
5 p.m.- 6 p.m
Egmore North entrance
6 p.m.- 7 p.m.
Guindy subway (towards station)
6 p.m.- 7 p.m.
Taramani Link Road (Velachery)
10 a.m.- 11 a.m.
Tambaram railway station (opp. MCC)
9 a.m.- 10 a.m.
Nelson Manickam Road (near Loyola College)
5 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Usman Road - opp. Ranganathan Str
7 p.m.- 8 p.m.
Koyambedu (opp. MTC bus entrance)
7 p.m.-8 p.m.
Perambur High Road
Ease of access
1
Skywalk, multi level parking lot proposed at broadway terminus
2
Skywalk from fort station via NSC Bose road to beach station
3
A two-tier flyover proposed in velachery
4
Two pedestrian subways in Koyembedu
5
Extension of flyover on Usman Road till CIT nagar
6
Model foot overbridge with escalators at Chromepet
