Our city may have much to offer its residents in terms of culture, heritage and economic opportunities, but its civic amenities don’t always measure up. Today, The Hindu launches a campaign that focuses on the right of Chennai’s residents to a safe and healthy city. Our aim is to catalyse and crystallise practical solutions — for policymakers as well as residents — so decent living conditions are available to all as a matter of right. We start with that most basic of rights, the >Right to Walk . The absence of usable footpaths was a significant contributor to the over 100 pedestrian deaths in Chennai in 2012, as per NCRB data. Few of us ever walk on pavements often because they have been encroached upon or are simply non-existent. The >Right to Walk aims to reclaim our city’s footpaths for pedestrians through a targeted print and online campaign that will empower residents and goad local officials to act. Do join in!
Siddharth Varadarajan
Editor
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