Across the country, pedestrians are routinely forced to walk on busy roads, despite a recent ruling by the Supreme Court that said citizens have a "fundamental right" to safety on footpaths.The ruling in June stemmed from the death of a five-year-old child who was run over by a tanker while walking to school on a road that, the court noted, had neither a footpath nor a pedestrian crossing."If the road exists, there is a duty to ensure that there are demarcated and well-maintained footpaths for walkers," the court said.For writer Patralekha Chatterjee, a routine walk to the neighbourhood market in the capital New Delhi is fraught with hazards.The mile-long route is obstructed by parked vehicles, potholes and rubbish, leaving pedestrians little choice but to step into traffic."There are cars coming at you from everywhere," Chatterjee told AFP.
A motorcyclist rides along a pavement over a bridge in New Delhi © Arun SANKAR / AFP
More than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) away in the tech hub of Bengaluru, 21-year-old resident Srinivas Angadi faces similar challenges."Footpaths are encroached upon by street vendors and shop extensions, forcing pedestrians onto the road," he said."Protecting footpaths is important for everyone's safety."Deadly roadsA Supreme Court-appointed committee found in 2024 that 84 percent of footpaths failed to meet basic engineering standards, and only one in four was usable.
