It’s called the pensioner’s paradise, and renowned as a Garden City, ideal for long walks. But will all that just remain a part of Bangalore’s history? If the budget of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, presented on Monday, is anything to go by, walking in the city won’t be much pleasure. A meagre Rs44 crore has been allotted for the development and maintenance of the city’s footpaths.
“Well, what to say? Most footpaths in the city exist only in name anyway. Even the footpath on MG Road is not walkable anymore,” said Sukanya Gogoi, a student of tourism who frequents MG Road.
Many city footpaths are in reality covered-up drains. The cement slabs placed on the drains loosen with time, and move precariously as pedestrians walk over them. Some of the slabs fall off, and not-so-vigilant pedestrians might find themselves precariously poised, keeling over the edge of a drain.
“Every couple of metres, there is a slab missing and you’ll have the drain peeping out at you. Miss one slab, and you could land right in,” said Gogoi.
“It’s happened to me. I’ve been in a rush and missed seeing a broken slab, and then almost stumbled into the drain. The last time that happened was at Koramangala,” said Satavisa Biswas, a public relations associate working in a private firm.
Biswas said that the BBMP budget made little provision for the repair and maintenance of the city footpaths, a clear indicator of the preference offered to those who use their own devices to commute in the city, putting little pressure on the roads and causing no pollution.
It’s the same story across the city, from Jayanagar to Kalasipalya, Shantinagar to Yelahanka New Town. Wherever you see a footpath, its in need of better maintenance, said Gauri Dama, employed in the fashion industry, adding, “Broken footpaths and potholes seem like they are here to stay. When the roads get congested, two-wheelers freely use footpaths. We have so many city planners, so much talk of city infrastructure here. But there’s so little to see of any of that expertise on the ground.”
If you stay in an area that has a footpath, however poorly maintained, you might take comfort from the plight of those in areas that have no footpaths at all.
“In our area, the roads are pathetic. And we have no footpaths. Drains overflow on to the roads, and we have an almighty mess when it rains. When it is dry, all the space on the road is taken up by traffic, and you have to be quite brave to walk. The corporator of my area stays nearby, but this is a concern too petty for him. Friends and I have planted some trees on what might be a pavement. Otherwise, the whole area was like a desert,” said Bose Uthappa, an ex-serviceman whose home is located on Uttarahalli Road.
The poor drainage has made walking in the City Market area quite an assault on the senses. Footpaths are taken up by vendors, and people are forced to walk on the edge of the road.
Pedestrians are at the bottom of the BBMP’s list of priorities, avers Kishore P, a resident. “I hope the BBMP will make some efforts to make footpaths safe. Walking in the city is an adventure activity.
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