Why Gangtok is India’s most walkable city
The author reflects on the evolution of Gangtok as a pedestrian-friendly city, highlighting the success of the vehicle-free MG Marg. The transformation has improved the city's livability and become a model for other hill stations.
Why it matters
Urban planning that prioritizes walkability over vehicular traffic can significantly enhance civic life and tourism in mountainous regions.
Gangtok, my hometown in the Himalayan foothills, was a walker’s city when we were growing up. We went everywhere on foot. Uphill from home to school. Downhill from school to home. Downhill from home to Paljor Stadium. Knee-obliterating uphill from Paljor Stadium to town. Uphill for Mr CSP Singh’s Physics tuition classes at the crack of dawn. Up-down, up-down. Covering four to five kilometers a day on foot was normal. That was life in a tiny town perched on a hilltop.
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