Pedestrians at risk: Footpaths broken, encroached in ‘smart’ city

Bhopal: Pedestrians in the Bhopal ‘smart city’ are at a greater risk as the footpaths in the city have turned bad to worse in the absence of maintenance and repairs besides encroachments. Gone are the days when one could just walk down safely without having to bother about speeding vehicles.
Old-timers in state capital recall, there was no fear of vehicles in the past but today even footpaths are not safe as two-wheeler riders zip through the footpaths.
Worst of all is that the footpaths have been encroached by hawkers and shopkeepers displaying their wares extending up to the roads, or motorcyclists taking a detour on footpaths to skip the traffic queues. Barring a few places, the situation is the same across the city.
Pedestrians have their safety compromised at most instances. This is true from 1100 quarters to E-5 road, E1 to Trilanga, and even in the more MP Nagar, E7 and Bittan market Road areas, where one cannot distinguish between residential and commercial areas.
Kruti Jain, a resident of Idgah hills says, “I never risk my life attempting to walk on the so-called footpaths. It is too dangerous as two-wheeler riders often drive on footpaths. Even if I have to go for a short distance, I prefer taking an auto rickshaw.”
Despite allocation, most footpath stretches lack continuity. Portions of it are in bad shape because of utility repair and maintenance works for storm water drains, sewer lines and water supply lines. Authorities need to provide separate utility sections along the footpaths to improve the efficiency and use of these sidewalks, she added.
Devyani Saxena, a resident of Indarpuri says, "Not even for once did the authorities try to repair the broken footpaths, let alone constructing the new ones. This, in turn forces the people to walk on the main road itself, which is too dangerous. Several office cabs, buses and heavy traffic zip down the road, instilling fear in many pedestrians.”