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Restoring Footpaths
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Restoring Footpaths
Tagged: Transport | Posted by S.G.Narayanamurthy at 11-02-2009 09:40:08
In its broadest meaning, “Transport” should also cover pedestrian movement. The most shameful thing about transport facilities in Bengaluru is the large-scale encroachment of footpaths, where they exist, with no one batting an eyelid. New roads come up with scant provision for pedestrian movement. The present Municipal Commissioner is on record as having said,”Only God can save the pedestrian in Bengaluru” (please see bangalore.citizenmatters.in). Apparently, no one in authority wants to play God.
This situation HAS TO BE REMEDIED if Bengaluru is to be known as even a modern city, let alone another Singapore. The first thing that can be done is to take up a few locations where good footpaths provided by early-day planners have been encroached upon, and take well-planned action to remove all encroachments. The thing to be avoided is any kind of “regularisation”, which will only lead to unbridled encroachments at other places, knowing they will be “regularised”.
I have posted two articles at the citizenmatters website, for which I give links below. They discuss the various types of encroachment, and suggest ways to deal with them. I call for a well-prepared action plan, setting out how the different types of encroachments have to be handled by the concerned authorities, instead of issuing a blanket, “Remove encroachments” order, which will only end up in a few poor vendors being chased away from the footpaths, leaving the real sharks free.
Photographs of encroachments on the 2nd Main, Vyalikaval have been provided with my articles. The very good footpaths originally provided on both sides of this road have become heavily encroached, with the eastern side footpath rendered almost dysfunctional. This could be a very good pilot project for encroachment removal, because it is still reclaimable.
Please see the links below:
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/416-bangalore-footpath-encroachment
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/427-footpath-encroachments-solutions
I am ready to serve in planning and implementing appropriate approaches to this problem.
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Re: Restoring Footpaths
In reply to Restoring Footpaths
Tagged: | Posted by Padmanabhan at 23-03-2009 19:13:04
Yes, footpaths are for pedestrians to walk. But, sadly, we have footpaths occupied by Building material, parked vehicles, vendors, fast food joints, personal gardens of houses etc. The BMP should prevent such "occupation" of footpaths by removing any such unwanted, putting up the footpaths in such a way that vehicles cannot be parked by build barriers. And last, but not the least, pedestrians who prefer the road, should be forced to walk on the footpaths.
Padmanabhan
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Re: Restoring Footpaths
In reply to Re: Restoring Footpaths
Tagged: | Posted by Karthik pai at 11-07-2009 22:47:23
As of now the highest no. messages under the transport forum implies that the commutation is a serious problem in Bengaluru. In the present scenario where time is money everybody tries his\her best to be on time. This move of initiating this 'abide' must be appreciated.
Everybody who owns a vehicle usually considers the problem on the roads. But there are innumerable no. people off- roads. Even their problem has to be entertained. As discussed earlier footpaths are for pedestrians to walk. But many roads in Bengaluru hardly have a footpath! More over those are occupied by street-hawkers, parked vehicles, etc. It's dangerous to walk on footpaths as the pedestrians face a serious problem from the fast moving two-wheelers who usually ride on footpaths, dumped building materials etc.
BBMP must consider this problem seriously and ease the pedestrian movement.
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Re: Restoring Footpaths
In reply to Re: Restoring Footpaths
Tagged: transport | Posted by k.ravishankar at 14-08-2009 15:05:44
every one seems to have forgotten the footpath. we keep planning for transportation, traffic and citizen discipline.i am sure developement of footpaths across bangalore will go a long way in solving the transportation and traffic problems also.
today no one can walk continuously and steadily for more than one second. most of the time the fear of getting hit by a vehicle looms large in our minds.
while developing roads a certain portion has to be earmarked for footpath and the authorities must ensure that there is no encroachment.enough has been said about the encroachments in the forum.
rangarao road is basavangudi is a good example of a well maintained footpaths. i have not had the opportunity to see any other road in bangalore in the areas that i normally walk or drive(jayanagar,koramangala,indiranagar).
in chennai some authority is trying to work on the footpath by involving private sector companies.
I am sure in bangalore the government and coporates should jointly undertake this initiative. it does not cost much as compared to the investments in transportation.
a functional footpath will also help eliminate road accidents.
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Re: Restoring Footpaths
In reply to Restoring Footpaths
Tagged: | Posted by Lt Col (retd) GV Sreedhar at 08-04-2010 19:57:05
I am living in JP Nagar for the past 24 years. I have been running between offices of Corporation, WSSB and Electricity Board ever since to lodge complaints regarding encroachment, water and electricity theft, wrong billing, broken water pipes, overloaded transformers, damaged sever pipes and manholes, digging of roads for service lines, digging of roads for various functions, inferior quality of new or repair works carried our, not clearing drain desilt material and rubble dumped on road sides and not to mention the garbage clearance. Firstly the attitude of working staff, supervisors and officers, can be summed up as atrocious. Secondly, their reaction and attention to the grievance of citizen is better described as callous. This is their heritage; I am noticing this kind of attitude since my student days. Lofty ideals conceptualized in ABIDe, action groups like Janagraha, new entity ‘Bangalore Patrol’ and ceaseless RWA efforts and now WISA a method to measure the level of urban quality of life, when put through serious concerted action should result in better utilization of hard to find financial resources. What I wonder is, who are the real functionaries? Who ever they are, if they don’t come up to satisfactory levels of integrity and effectiveness do we have some kind of contingency plan in our vision document? If the players are, the same Corporator, Engineers, Contractors and the all powerful chain of bureaucracy, then the program has to be viewed from a totally different angle. We cannot do away with them, but certainly can create rewarding situation for them to work differently. For this to happen we have to think of adding one more task force to motivate all concerned. So add one more link in the chain Sir.
For example consider the issue of Footpaths. Foot paths can be restored only if the encroachment on the roadside are removed and the drains are uniformly covered, of course it should be freed of electrical poles/transformers, fast-food joints’ tables and umbrellas, dogs and garbage. To my mind, this task can only be achieved by Corporator of the Ward and none else, because he alone is the human face of the entire set of government, semi-government and private agencies. So it all comes round to the same thing whether it is footpath, water supply, electricity or any other service. Any number of rules and punishments for violators will bring the required change.
Since people/residents are not good enough in identifying themselves with commoner of Namma Bengaluru, chip of the same block the Service Providers are like-wise not good enough to bring about desired improvements of the ambience for the benefit of “them”. The elite of the population should lead the life of values such as honesty, integrity and humility for the ordinary citizen of the neighborhood to emulate such styles and slowly and slowly the citizen become intolerant to apathy and unbecoming attitudes of public servants and private agencies, and then the elected representatives will get some chance to make the dream of ABIDe come true during our times only. Ladies and Gentlemen it is the behavioral attitude of the comfortable section of the upper middle class which decides finally.
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