Reclaiming footpaths, taking cities back from cars
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that walking on demarcated footpaths is a fundamental constitutional right, directing states to improve pedestrian infrastructure. This decision aims to address urban congestion and public health concerns as sedentary lifestyles contribute to rising metabolic diseases.
Why it matters
The ruling sets a legal precedent for urban planning, prioritizing pedestrian safety and public health over vehicle-centric city design.
Few sights are more ordinary in an Indian city than a pedestrian being pushed off a footpath and onto the road. A mother, holding a school bag in one hand and a child in the other, walks around a parked car. An elderly man tests a broken footpath before stepping down onto the road. A wheelchair user gives up before the journey has even begun. A vendor, debris, an open drain, a two-wheeler, and a signboard together form what is still, with bureaucratic optimism, called a pavement. The citizen is then forced to walk on a road designed as though only vehicles possess rights.
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