‘Attitude that only car owners have road rights needs to change'

Environmentalist Sunita Narain

 

A victim of road accident while cycling in the city, CSE director advocates restricting space for cars on roads  

In 2013, Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain was cycling along the road near AIIMS when she was hit by a speeding car. Four years on, she and her non-government organisation are still struggling to make the city’s roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Ms. Narain spoke to

The Hindu about the condition of the city’s infrastructure for cyclists and what can be done to improve it

How safe are Delhi’s roads for cyclists and pedestrians?

Delhi is essentially a car-oriented city like many other metros in the country. Cyclists and pedestrians have almost become invisible road users who are responsible for their own safety. They die doing the most basic things such as crossing the road. There are no dedicated lanes for cycles and no sidewalks. The little stretches that do exist are either dirty or taken over by parked cars. Roads are for cars. The rest don’t matter.

 

What needs to change to improve conditions for cyclists here?

First of all, the attitude that only those who own cars have road rights needs to change. We assume that anyone who walks or cycles is poor, wretched and destined to be marginalised, if not obliterated.

 

Can Delhi use examples from other countries?

Absolutely, but first build infrastructure and maintain it. Like in China and Paris, we can redesign our roads by reducing space for cars and add lanes for buses and cycles. This is how many cycle-friendly cities have reduced the car bulge on roads. You need to help people switch to environment-friendly modes of transport. The rest of the world has learnt successfully to rework road space so that it provides dignity and accessibility to cyclists and pedestrians. It has learnt to restrict space for cars and yet build extremely liveable cites.