Large-scale road concreting has been undertaken across Mumbai to make the city pothole-free. As a result, though, footpaths have simply vanished in certain areas such as Santacruz West.
A resident stated in a mid-day report that in the name of road widening, footpaths on one side of streets have been removed, with pavements existing solely on the right at times, and the left at others.
Then, there is a scenario all too familiar for the Mumbaikar: encroached footpaths that vanish under shops and illegally parked cars. This edit space has been highlighting this menace.
In an effort to upgrade our infrastructure, we have compromised safety or access to vital amenities. Concreting roads in a bid to address the pothole problem has come to mean sacrificing footpaths.
This shows we need a holistic look when undertaking projects in the city. We cannot have footpaths vanishing and pedestrians being forced to walk on the road. These are compromised anyway, so some vision and thought about how to safeguard them or keep a sliver of land at least for pedestrians to access while doing concreting would be helpful. It also proves that one must keep all factors in mind before undertaking a project, even for the larger benefit of the city.
One can also also cast an eye on redevelopment. As several buildings await demolition, the barriers needed are erected on the footpaths, at times eating up the entire walkway. One, then, must see that a small portion of the road is earmarked for only pedestrians and ensure that vehicles keep off it.
While so-called development is underway, the authorities must see to it that other aspects are not compromised, and prioritise the safety of citizens above all other considerations.