- One of the most common refrains emerging from every Bengaluru resident is the way our beautiful city’s roads have become such a challenge to commute safely. Yes, the pothole-filled, crater-like, and undulating hell of roads in Bengaluru is certainly a very big safety risk for commuters, especially those riding two-wheelers. And God save our lives when it rains, as the water filling those craters makes it extremely difficult to navigate, leading to injuries and sometimes, loss of lives. To add to this everyday misery is the complete lack of civic regard for the pedestrian pathways, where the hawkers and the local vendors of every hue occupy the already less space available for walkers with their trading stuff, making it extremely congested.
PC: The Hindu
- Those familiar with the Bengaluru roads and commuting challenges are also aware of how the two-wheeler riders ply their vehicles on the pathways to beat the suffocating traffic snarls and bottlenecks. We all have experienced/witnessed this. At the best of times, the pathways earmarked for pedestrians are already strained to such an extent that there is hardly any space for them to navigate safely. When the two-wheelers also join in the circus to navigate on extremely narrow pathways, the plight of the pedestrians is left to the mercy of the Almighty. Oh! Forgot to mention the beggars, who also occupy the already limited pathways. Mind you, elderly citizens, small children, the differently abled, and others are constrained to move safely and securely.
PC: Social News XYZ
- Little wonder that there has been a steady demand from the citizens exhorting the civic authorities and the government agencies to ensure dedicated pedestrian pathways without hindrances in the forms as mentioned above. Heeding requests from various quarters, the new government that was sworn in recently has initiated a concerted campaign to clear the pathways illegally occupied by various hawkers/small time vendors. Thus, the Safe Footpath Campaign is a citywide initiative launched by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) in coordination with the traffic police and local city corporation. The drive aims to clear 1000+kilometers of footpaths across all five city corporations of encroachments such as roadside stalls, illegal parking, and extended signboards.
PC: The CSR Journal
- The moot point to ponder over here is whether the campaign will sustain momentum after the initial enthusiasm. We have witnessed how previous similar campaigns have failed to sustain the momentum after a while, leading to the familiar sight of all types of hawkers/vendors reemerging on the city roads in no time. Of course, the political leaders would view considerable groups of people as vote banks and hence would not wish to rub them the wrong way. However, the state government must realise the bigger picture of how the city must be presented to not only attract investment by offering welcoming civic amenities, including safe pedestrian pathways, but also present the capital as neat and clean is imperative. Hopefully, the campaign will sustain.
