Freedom to walk a lot more

An unusable footpath in Andheri West. Pic/Iqbal Gilani Mansuri

I was surprised to find out that a couple of months ago, the Supreme Court of India declared that walking on safe and demarcated footpaths was a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution. This was framed as a landmark judgment with far-reaching implications for the disabled, inclusive mobility, and urban planning, which also meant it was quickly forgotten while we were all distracted by a film called Toxic.

My surprise stemmed from the fact that the Court had decided to get involved in the first place. As someone who was born in Bombay a long time ago, I had often assumed that our honourable lawyers and judges knew little about what roads in India were really like. My belief was that they travelled solely by helicopter and walked on manicured grounds alone, insulated from the indignities that common citizens must face while stepping out for groceries. Luckily, it seemed as if someone had insisted on bringing this to their attention by filing a case of negligence. Like most things that happen in India, it took a tragedy for someone to pay attention and insist on justice. It is the only explanation I have for why it took this long for some form of common sense to prevail.

I have also been excited about this judgment because I can't remember the last time I walked on any street in Bombay with a sense of calm that walking normally induces in a properly functioning city. I can't remember the last time I have been able to walk in a straight line without having to dodge a manhole or some fast-food stall, or without having to look up at the possibility of falling debris. I haven't been able to imagine a life where this sort of habit may be easily forgotten, which is why the judgement has pleased me as much as it has.

All we have to do now is wait. The judgement has been passed, which means it is probably trickling down to the powers that be, who will presumably begin working on implementing it any day now. We just need to be patient. I urge all readers of this column to look outside their windows at least once a day to see how footpaths outside their buildings are changing for the better. They have probably been cleared already, and we have just not noticed it yet.

A month or so ago, the BMC already launched a citywide ‘pedestrian first' campaign to clear footpaths of all kinds of obstructions. Apparently, the first phase will involve the removal of encroachments along 320 kilometres of footpaths and include everything from debris and garbage to construction material, vehicles, physical obstructions of any kind, as well as any uneven surfaces. In other words, everyone who walks in this city - and more than half of all travel within city limits involves walking - will soon have access to a life-changing experience. It may not happen as quickly as we would all like it to, given that the city has about 2,000 kilometers of roads, of which just 22% are pedestrian-friendly, but it's a start, and we should celebrate.

I foresee a flurry of advertisements any day now, broadcasting how 10 or 20 kilometres have been cleared. They may not stay that way for long (as residents of Hill Road in Bandra may testify), but a few of us may be able to walk down them without running into obstacles for at least a week or so, which isn't something to be sneered at. Just because promises are made every second month and broken every third month doesn't mean we should all turn into cynics.

It is important for us all to remember that, in this country, municipal authorities take justice very seriously. We need to keep in mind that this isn't the first time the courts have stepped in to turn a few wrongs into something right. We all know, for instance, how various high courts have consistently pointed out that banners and hoardings on public roads and footpaths tend to obstruct pedestrians and distract motorists. They have repeatedly mentioned that these hoardings pose serious risks to road users. Local authorities have been ordered to impose heavy fines and take strict penal action, and this has been going on for as long as I can remember. The banners and hoardings still remain, of course, and will continue to turn up at every major festival between now and December, but it's always the thought that counts, isn't it?

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He can be contacted at www.lindsaypereira.com

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