India's Supreme Court has ruled walking on marked footpaths a fundamental right, stirring excitement among urban planners. Seen as a step toward Viksit Bharat, or Developed India, it offers chance to rethink streets that have long resisted structured Western urban planning.
Yet,despite existing standards,city streets remain dangerous . A 2024 government report shows the ten largest cities made up 46.34% of road accident deaths in cities over 50 million,with pedestrians at 20.6% of these fatalities. Delhi,Bengaluru,and Jaipur lead these grim numbers .
Ruling raises tough questions about why safe street standards haven't taken hold. A major issue is the gap between national guidelines and India's diverse urban landscapes. Standards like the Indian Roads Congress’s IRC-103-2012 aim for “healthy streets” prioritizing walking and cycling,but often suggest impractical footpaths .
For example,standards call for 1.8-meter wide footpaths,but older areas like Chickpete in Bengaluru can't accommodate that due to narrow streets and street vendors . Result? Wide paths on arterial roads with few pedestrians,while crowded areas struggle.
Another problem is cost and scale of pavement construction. With over 4,500 cities dedicating up to 25% of urban land to roads,mostly local streets,meeting national specs is too costly for most municipalities . This leads to unsafe conditions and urban heat islands.
Weak institutional ownership complicates things more. Vehicle registration,traffic enforcement,street design,and maintenance are split across jurisdictions. To make footpaths safe,municipal authorities need power to coordinate and design.
Officials need to engage communities and co-design streets at ward level. Court’s ruling should drive municipal incentives for accountability and local action.
Western standards can't just be copied. Innovative solutions are needed. Ajmal Khan Road in Delhi’s Karol Bagh shows different path. Instead of costly construction,UTTIPEC and Delhi Development Authority used painted lanes,greenery for traffic calming,and simple street furniture—achieving results at a fraction of the usual ₹7-10 crore per km cost .
To scale this approach requires a mindset shift. Urban design must focus on collective maintenance and context-sensitive solutions,not rigid standards. Creating walkable cities means clear goals and standards tailored to diverse environments,including custom pavements and sustainable materials .
Ruling on joint footpath management by local bodies and authorities needs more ratification to make urban bodies primary custodians. Vision for Viksit Bharat calls for rethinking urban design guidelines,emphasizing broader societal benefits . Streets and pavements should be seen not just as infrastructure,but as vital community-building processes.
