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Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Why Pedestrians Can't Just Be An Afterthought
New Delhi: As India debates how to make its roads safer, experts at the National Road Safety Summit turned the spotlight on something often overlooked in city planning — people on foot. Pedestrian-centric road infrastructure and adherence to Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines, along with the critical role of road engineering, took the centre stage. A slide in the background set the tone for the discussion — it showed what an ideal road should look like: 360-degree visibility, clear lane markings, walkable footpaths, well-maintained vegetation, and smooth merging lanes. Speakers highlighted challenges such as inadequate signage, overgrown vegetation affecting visibility near crossings, and the dominance of vehicle-centric planning. "Engineering plays a crucial role in reducing fatalities, but it can only contribute up to 20% in crash prevention," said Dr S Velmurugan, chief scientist at CSIR-CRRI. "But engineering alone isn't enough. Crashes occur not only due to poor engineering but also due to a multitude of factors encompassing the other 4 Es. These include enforcement issues, lack of road user education, emergency care not available within the golden hour of the crash and poor environment. " He pointed out that India's national highways have nearly doubled, from 70,000 km to 1.44 lakh km in the last 12 years. Yet in cities like Delhi, pedestrians, cyclists, e-rickshaw and two-wheelers account for 75-80% of fatalities. "We need realistic targets and a systemic shift," he said One major concern got repeated mention — non-adherence to not having plantation for at least 120 metres at the median openings as well as at the intersections of the divided carriageways. Discussions also covered blocked or minimised zebra crossings, worn-out markings, and footpaths that are either missing or encroached upon. "Pedestrian infrastructure is routinely compromised," Velmurugan said. "We need an inclusive approach that respects every user's right to safe passage." A question brought attention to jaywalking on the Delhi-Meerut expressway, despite iron grills, questioning people's mindset and justifying the vegetation and iron grills. Dr Mukti Advani, senior principal scientist at CSIR-CRRI, said: "At many such locations, there is no pedestrian infrastructure. You can't blame behaviour when design fails." Children were flagged as especially at risk. "Over 50% of child traffic deaths happen on highways, and 36% in cities, often near intersections," said Syed Hubbe Ali, a health specialist at UNICEF India. Swantantra Kumar of 3M India added: "Safe school zones must anticipate child movement, with speed limits and signs marking entry and exit points." Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- The Hindu
A bumpy ride: Chennai's speed breakers break more than just speed
For P. Saravanan, a person with disability and a member of the Social Justice Movement, navigating his vehicle over the speedbreakers in Kaladipettai under Tiruvottiyur Zone is a source of physical pain, on a daily basis. His struggle is far from isolated as several residents have complained about speedbreakers that flout the design standards of Indian Road Congress (IRC) across the city. As per IRC 1988, speedbreakers should be 3.7 metres wide and 10 centimetres high with a 17 metre radius hump, designed for 25 km/h speeds, and marked with reflective thermoplastic paint and warning signs placed in advance. Further, the IRC 2018 adds that placement, gradient, material, and signage are crucial for effectiveness. Here's a look at the guidelines under the Indian Roads Congress: According to Indian Roads Congress IRC 99-2018 ( The degree of the effect of the humps in terms of speed reduction depends upon the profile, height, gradient, length… — R Aishwaryaa (@AishRavi64) February 28, 2024 'The thin rubber-plastic speedbreaker installed two months ago by the Greater Chennai Corporation in Tiruvottiyur is the toughest to negotiate. Yet, it has not been removed despite repeated complaints,' he said. Earlier in May, in Anna Main road of K.K. Nagar, a 22-year-old pregnant woman sustained severe injuries after falling from a two-wheeler, as her husband, who was riding the vehicle, failed to notice a speedbreaker there. Meera Ravikumar, a social activist in Adyar, said that few speedbreakers in Gandhi Nagar under Ward 173 are taller than 10 cm and cause back pain for those forced to frequently pass by them. 'Many are yet to be painted with reflective thermoplastic paint for better visibility at night. The rubber-plastic speedbreaker found in Kastuba Nagar is very uncomfortable for two-wheeler and bicycle riders,' she said. P. Arunkumar, 39, of Manali, stated that in Kannadasan Nagar, emulsion paint was used on a speedbreaker instead of reflective thermoplastic paint, making markings fade quickly, which lead to minor accidents, especially at night when visibility is low. He said that in areas like Korukkupet, speedbreakers are abruptly laid without a smooth transition from the road. Prabhu Krishnamoorthy of M.K.B. Nagar said there are over 10 unmarked speedbreakers on the road between Basin Bridge and Madhavaram, and stretches from Kasimedu to Ennore and Moolakadai to Kavangarai had over 30 unmarked humps. According to a recent complaint submitted by civic activist Balaji Gopalan, speedbreakers in Wards 149 and 150 violate many IRC norms. He said that when a hump in Ward 151 exceeding 10 cm height, was flagged via the Chief Minister's grievance cell, the GCC responded that it was within standards, though it was visibly too high. He added that an RTI filed over eight months ago, seeking details on the number of faulty speedbreakers in the city and action taken against officials responsible, remains unanswered. According to the audit conducted in June and July 2024 by 1000 volunteers of NGO Arappor Iyakkam, 201 of the surveyed speed breakers in 467 spots across the city, including those under Greater Chennai Corporation, Iyyapanthangal, Agaramthen and Thiruneermalai, do not meet IRC regulations. A senior official said little progress was made since February, when 41 speed breakers in Teynampet, Royapuram, and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Zones, 29 in Kodambakkam Zone, and 20 in Adyar Zone were corrected ensuring proper height and reflective paint marking, after the speedbreaker committee met with Greater Chennai Traffic Police personnel. No further meetings have been held since, he added. GCC Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran stated that nearly 2,000 speedbreakers in the city were identified as not conforming to IRC norms across the city and were taken up for correction before heavy rains hit in 2024. He added that another corrective drive can be undertaken to address the pending issues as raised by commuters.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Supreme Court directs states, UTs to ensure obstruction-free, disabled-friendly footpaths
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed states to show their readiness in protecting the lives of pedestrians walking on streets by ensuring unobstructed, disabled-friendly footpaths and footways and submit a policy in this regard within two months. A bench headed by justice Abhay S Oka passed the order directing each state and union territory to prepare guidelines in this regard, observing that safety of pedestrians is of utmost importance. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on road safety filed by Hemant Jain, which highlighted rise in pedestrian deaths in road accidents due to absence of footpaths along roads. It said encroachment of these spaces forces pedestrians to risk lives by walking on streets. The bench, also comprising justice Ujjal Bhuyan, said, 'According to us, safety of pedestrians is of utmost importance. There must be proper footways or footpaths with special emphasis on facility for disabled as right to have unobstructed and disabled friendly footpaths is guaranteed under Article 21.' The court directed all states and union territories to come out with guidelines in this regard by relying on two separate decisions rendered by the Bombay high court in 2018 and the Karnataka high court in 2021, dealing with a set of directions to free footpaths from any form of encroachment or obstruction. The court directed the guidelines to be finalised in two months and called for compliance reports to be filed before the court that will be taken up for hearing on August 1. The bench said, 'If no proper provisions are made for footpaths, it can lead to accidents involving pedestrians. Authorities thus should ensure that footpaths, footways are in proper condition and are disabled friendly.' The application filed by Jain in February this year pointed out that as per the Road Accidents in India Report 2022, 32,825 pedestrians were killed in 2022 alone out of 1,68,491 total fatalities on road, constituting a little less than 20% of the entire road fatalities figure. Pointing to the grim reality of Indian streets, Jain said, 'Footpaths are vanishing, encroached upon by illegal structures, parked vehicles, and street vendors. The remaining pedestrian spaces are broken, uneven, or outright dangerous, forcing people to walk on the roads, where they are easy targets for reckless drivers. Every step a pedestrian takes is a gamble with life.' This goes contrary to the fundamental right to life under Article 21 which the state is constitutionally bound to preserve, he said. While the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 provide statutory safeguards for pedestrian safety, the same is not being enforced in right earnest, he added. Jain cited the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) Standards that require footpaths to be built and maintained as per IRC standards and mandates all cities and towns to have pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. Even the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021- 2030) recognises pedestrian safety as a critical component of road safety, he added.
Deccan Herald
12-05-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
No country for walkers, cyclists
Globally, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorised two- and three-wheelers collectively account for 54% of the total number of fatalities in traffic incidents. While advancements in vehicle safety technologies have improved protection for drivers and passengers, Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) remain highly susceptible to harm in road traffic India, VRUs accounted for over 67% of fatalities in 2023; around 35,000 of them were pedestrians. This high proportion can be attributed to factors such as high motorised vehicle growth, poor road infrastructure, and a lack of dedicated tracks for pedestrians and cyclists. Planning in most cities does not take into account the realities of Indian commuting Global Road Safety Week, which is observed every alternative year, is scheduled this year from May 12 to 18. It focuses on the theme 'Streets for Life: Unlocking the multiple benefits of safe walking and cycling' and calls on policymakers to implement proven those who travel for work in India, one-third still commute on foot (2011). For commutes up to 10 km, walking is still the most common means of transport. Even in India's megacities, walking is the most common mode of commuting. In Delhi, an equal proportion of 26% walk and take the bus, while in all other cities, buses come next. In Mumbai, 36% of the population is estimated to walk or cycle to Guided walk through 5 public is a large section of working-class people who use bicycles as the only mode of transportation for their livelihood every day. In Delhi alone, 11% of the working population cycles to work and 36% of households own bicycles (2011 Census). However, there has been a consistent decrease in bicycle ridership over the years in different cities. Cities are increasingly becoming congested – this congestion is marked by a significant rise in the number of vehicles on the roads, increasing safety concerns for walkers and cyclists. .Policy on transportation policies in India have been automobile-oriented and have focused on moving vehicles rather than moving people. Road engineering in India is governed by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) codes that refer to designing footpaths and cycle tracks as Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) infrastructure. However, these codes are not mandatory – they are only advisory and hence are not adhered to for urban road development. As a result, NMT infrastructure in most of the Indian cities is either not built or is left incomplete and the designated space is quickly sacrificed to make way for motorised 2006, the government issued the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) identifying the importance of NMT to access public transport and encouraged cities to integrate NMT facilities with their urban transit projects. However, little was done on the ground, citing difficulties in the implementation of the policy. India's Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policy (2017) also focuses on pedestrians, cyclists, and other NMT users, recognising the role of NMT in first- and last-mile have been several experiments in various Indian cities aimed at improving the walking and cycling experience. In 2014, the Greater Chennai Corporation adopted India's first NMT Policy aimed at arresting the decline in walking and cycling by creating a safe and pleasant network of footpaths, cycle tracks, greenways, and other NMT facilities. In 2020, Karnataka reported the highest number of pedestrian deaths in the country, accounting for 13% of the total pedestrian fatalities. By issuing a draft, the state initiated the Active Mobility Bill (2021), the first of its kind in India, that seeks to protect pedestrians and cyclists by creating a safe and accessible environment. However, the bill has been a 75 Mission (2023) was introduced in Bengaluru to improve 75 critical junctions by improving traffic flow and making the junctions safer for all road users, particularly pedestrians. However, its impact is yet to be more than 35,000 km of dedicated cycling lanes, The Netherlands is a global leader in promoting active mobility through cycling. In Copenhagen and in Amsterdam, more than 50% of the total population commutes by bicycle, significantly reducing CO2 emissions, traffic congestion, and improving public health. A recent report (IPCC, 2023), suggests that NMT can reduce emissions from urban transport by 2 to 10%, depending on the context. India needs to do much more in promoting walking and cycling and making them safer, viable alternatives..(The writer is Director, Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development India)
