Join Us in the 20 K Signature Campaign To Save The Pedestrian

The 20K Signature Campaign of R2W Foundation

In Hyderabad today, Footpaths are fast disappearing. In many places they were already missing. Many Footpaths are used as Public Urinals. Safe Pedestrian Crossings are non-existent. Those footpaths in clean areas are being encroached upon by Malls and Retail Shops, which use them as Parking for Customers. Road widening is being done by GHMC by simply removing footpaths.

Where does the Pedestrian walk?
Naturally, the Pedestrian has to walk on the Road, where he/she risks being hit by a vehicle.
Crossing the road is even more risky because there are no Pedestrian Crossings. The few Pedestrian Crossings that exist are not enforced.
The Pedestrian is always at risk for life and limb. This results in an average of 5 Pedestrians being killed in Hyderabad every Week. Tragically, the lack of Pedestrian Safety affects the Old, the Children, The Handicapped and the Poor more severely
The administration of Hyderabad has completely neglected issues of Pedestrian Safety. It has failed to provide basic amenities such as Footpaths on each road and safe and convenient Pedestrian Crossings. The Right to Walk safely is a Fundamental Right, which is being denied to the Citizens of Hyderabad. Is it not sad that the 25% of People who own Motorized Vehicles monopolise 100% of the road?
The Right to Walk Foundation is working towards making Hyderabad Walkable again. The Mission of the Foundation is to educate The Government and the Citizens of Hyderabad about this vital issue.
The Right To Walk Foundation is raising the following questions:

1. Who is responsible for Pedestrian Safety?
2. Is there a policy in GHMC and the State Government on Pedestrian Safety?
3. What are the duties of the Police in Ensuring Pedestrian Safety?
4. Why are there no Enforced Pedestrian Crossings?
5. Why is action not taken on Malls/Retail outlets, which illegally take-over Footpaths for Parking?
6. Why is action not taken on Vehicles parked on Footpaths?
7. Why are encroachments on Footpaths not cleared?

The Signature Campaign to collect 20,000 signatures from the vulnerable section of society such as School Children, Senior Citizens, College Students and The Handicapped. The purpose is to:

1. Educate the Citizens of Hyderabad on this Vital Issue.
2. Publicise the issue through print and electronic media.
3. Hold a Walkathon with the Signed Banners.
4. Petition the GHMC, the Police, The CM with the Signed Banners and their Photocopies.
This process will continue until Hyderabad becomes a ‘Pedestrian Friendly City’.
Contributions are welcome. A/c The Right to Walk Foundation, 426-0101000-99916, Axis Bank, Hyderabad-500028

Hi Tech City, Needs to be renamed!!

Pedestrian Crossing? Is there something like that?

On Oct 13, 2008, I went to Hi Tech City expecting that at least this part of Hyderabad would have sidewalks and pedestrian facilities. But there was no such thing as a footpath or in fact any other pedestrian facilities. People were forced to walk on the road and in fact cross the road only in groups. The photographs were taken on the main road of Hi Tech City ( opp WIPRO office).

Footpaths, what does it mean? Do we need them? No, of course not? We are Hi Tech!!

A summary of the National Urban Transport Policy ( April 2006). People to be Centre Stage!!

A summary of The National Urban Transport Policy (April, 2006)

Background

· The cost of travel, especially for the poor, has increased considerably. This is largely because the use of cheaper non-motorised modes like cycling and walking has become extremely risky, since these modes have to share the same right of way with motorized modes. Further, with population growth, cities have tended to sprawl and increased travel distances have made non-motorized modes impossible to use. This has made access to livelihoods, particularly for the poor, far more difficult.

· Travel in the city has become more risky with accident rates having gone up from 1.6 lakh in 1981 to over 3.9 lakh in 2001. The number of persons killed in road accidents has also gone up from 28,400 to over 80,000 during the same period. This again has tended to impact the poor more severely as many of those killed or injured tend to be cyclists, pedestrians or pavement dwellers.

· Rapid motor vehicle growth has also caused severe air pollution, adversely affecting the health of the people and their quality of life.


Unless the above problems are remedied, poor mobility can become a major dampener to economic growth and cause the quality of life to deteriorate. A policy is, therefore, needed on the approach to dealing with this rapidly growing problem as also offer a clear direction and a framework for future action.


Vision Statement:

To recognize that people occupy centre-stage in our cities and all plans would be for their common benefit and well being

Objectives:

· Bringing about a more equitable allocation of road space with people, rather than vehicles, as its main focus.
· Investing in transport systems that encourage greater use of public transport and non-motorized modes instead of personal motor vehicles

Equitable allocation of road space

At present, road space gets allocated to whichever vehicle occupies it first. The focus is, therefore, the vehicle and not people. The result is that a bus carrying 40 people is allocated only two and a half times the road space that is allocated to a car carrying only one or two persons. In this process, the lower income groups have, effectively, ended up paying, in terms of higher travel time and higher travel costs, for the disproportionate space allocated to personal vehicles. Users of non-motorized modes have tended to be squeezed out of the roads on account of serious threats to their safety. If the focus of the principles of road space allocation were to be the people, then much more space would need to be allocated to public transport systems than is allocated at present.

The Central Government would, therefore, encourage measures that allocate road space on a more equitable basis, with people as its focus. This can be achieved by reserving lanes and corridors exclusively for public transport and non-motorized modes of travel. Past experience has been that such reserved lanes are not respected by motorists and therefore lose meaning. In order to facilitate better enforcement of such lane discipline, suitable provisions would be introduced in the Motor Vehicles Act and other instrumentalities to enable stringent penalties for violation.

The Central Government would give priority to the construction of cycle tracks and pedestrian paths, under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM), to enhance safety and thereby enhance use of non-motorized modes.

What the Right to Walk Foundation would like to know is “Why is this Policy Document not implemented even after Two Years of publication”?The quality of life for the poor man is deteriorating by the day and yet there is no implementation plan from the Urban Transport authorities. What are the authorities waiting for?

R2W, Fund Your Footpath Scheme

In Hyderabad, the GHMC has an interesting scheme named 'Fund Your Park'. We have been trying to talk to the concerned authorities and request them to have a scheme for Funding Footpaths and Pedestrian Crossings schemes wherein Corporates will be responsible for creating and maintaining footpaths or pedestrian crossings as the case may be.

R2W Campaign Launch

The R2W is planning the launch a ' Save Our Footpath' Campaign. We are planning to get about 20000 signatures from people and then submit it to the CM. We are planning to involve students from schools and colleges, working women, senior citizens, differently abled in propelling the camapign forward.
We will make the banners in 4 different languages, Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu.

The RTI Story of Ownership of Footpaths.....

On March 24, 2008, we had filed a Petition at the State Information Commissioner's office seeking information about the Ownership of footpaths on highways within the city. On June 26, 2008, we also filed a reminder but so far there is no news about the date of the posting of the case. What is interesting is that the GHMC is taking up the creation of a few footpaths ( in bits and pieces) on the highways.
The sufferer is the Poor Pedestrian who walks on the carriageway little realising that his life is at risk. When will the authorities wake up and give us back Our Footpaths? Or will the Pedestrian become an extinct species?

Corporate Encroachments: Letter to the GHMC, Comm.

Kanthimathi Kannan
The Right to Walk Foundation
12-2-709/A/22
Karol Bagh Colony
Hyderabad – 500028
Phone: 23510710

Sept 30, 2008

The Commissioner
GHMC
Hyderabad

Dear Sir
Subject: Policy decision needed for non availability of parking for Giant Retail Outlets

The Right to Walk Foundation has been filing petitions regarding the non availability of parking space in four retail outlets. These petitions have been filed from Feb 1, 2008 onwards, under the RTI act, 2005.
1. Reliance Fresh on the road from Masab Tank (main road) to SD hospital,
2. Vodaphone at the Mehdipatnam (next to SBI, Rhythu Bazaar),
3. The retail outlet called MORE (earlier called Trinethra) (Mehdipatnam Chaurastha)
4. The ICICI Bank ( Mehdipatnam Chaurastha)

The GHMC on its part has given responses stating with proof the availability of parking for three (not given for Vodaphone) of these outlets. We have in turn filed our response on June 20, 2008, and also sent several mails to the commissioner’s office regarding the same issue. No action was taken. Again we have filed a petition on July 3, 2008 with the then Addl Comm. Traffic and transportation (Mr. NVS Reddy). No action was taken.

On July 30, 2008, we have filed regarding the same issue but NO ACTION. Again on Aug 21, 2008 we have filed a petition only regarding one of the outlets and we find that still NO ACTION has been taken.
What is interesting is that we have also filed a police reply dated Feb 28, 2008 along with each of the reply petitions from April 2008 onwards but the GHMC officials do not seem to be looking at the police reply and taking action.

Initially when the permission has been granted by the GHMC, these Retail outlets probably showed the parking availability in the cellar and got the necessary trade licenses but along the line, these cellars are actually used for residential parking and parking in each of these cellars for customers is prohibited.
We are also enclosing the GHMC letter that gives the details of the parking requirement of Retail Outlets.

The need of the hour is for the GHMC Commissioner to take a policy decision regarding non availability of parking by Giant Retail Outlets. The question here is not only regarding these four retail outlets but the issue is much larger and needs a policy decision to be taken at the Commissioner’s level.


Even recently there has been a spurt of licenses issued to Outlets like, Spencer’s, Kakatiyanagar,( Near Nanal Nagar Chaurastha), Bowl of China outlets , ( one under the Masab Tank Flyover and the other near Laxmi Nagar Chaurastha, Khadar Bagh).

The Spencer Outlet claim to have parking but the question is it that adequate? And also why should the common man suffer because of the Big Retail Business?
The issues are as follows:

Should Retail Giants have parking of their own? Or is the GHMC planning to provide parking for these big companies too?
What is the parking space rule that needs to be followed by each of these retail outlets? Is it according to the G.O. Ms. No. 86, M.A. dated 03.03.06 or it is going to be modified?
Are the footpaths in front of all retail outlets that face the road, clearly marked and specifically made as access paths? (Here retail outlets include all the shops and establishments)
Is parking on the footpath regarded as parking space or has the GHMC ear marked parking space in each of the Big Retail Outlet?

We sincerely hope that this petition will make the Commissioner’s office take action and ensure that such large business houses do not function if they are not able to provide parking for their customers.


Regards




Kanthi Kannan
The Right to Walk Foundation
www.right2walk.com


Enclosures

Feb 1, 2008. RTI filed in the GHMC
Feb 28, 2008: AP Police reply
March 17, 2008: Petition filed with the Appellate Comm. GHMC
April 8, 2008: GHMC Reply to the RTI stating that Zonal Comm. to be contacted
April 15, 2008: Appeal filed again with the Chief Planner, GHMC.
May 5, 2008: Petition for RTI disclosure filed with the GHMC, Comm.
May 7, 2008: GHMC Reply regarding parking of Reliance, NMDC road.
June 20, 2008: Petition filed with the Comm. GHMC for action against the retail outlet
July 3, 2008: Petition filed with Mr. NVS Reddy (Traffic and Transportation), GHMC
July 30, 2008: Petition filed with the Comm. GHMC for action against the retail outlet
Aug 21, 2008: Petition filed with the Comm. GHMC for action against the retail outlet
G.O.Ms.86 dated 03.03.06

Who needs footpaths?

Often we hear loud voices of the driver of the private vehicles saying that we need wider carriage ways and definitely do not need a footpath. Is this a fact? If all footpaths were removed and only carriage ways existed, would the traffic move at a much faster pace?
Think about it and you will arrive at the answer. The opposite will happen and the traffic will start crawling at an extremely slow pace. As many studies have clearly shown , 'the intermixing of vehicles and pedestrian movements in the absence of footpaths results in reduced speeds and increase in number of accidents. The provision of footpaths and pedestrian crossings and can reduce these conflicts to a great extent and increase the average speed. This low cost traffic improvement measure can bring out substantial reduction in emissions'.*
**Also data from the AP Police shows the following:
1. Dead: 263 Pedestrians: 263/ 391= 67%
2. Injured: 2047 Pedestrians: 2047/ 3447 = 59%,
3. 170/ 263 = 65% of the deaths to pedestrians occur while they are crossing the road.
4. 1151/ 2047= 56% of the injuries to pedestrians occur while they are crossing the road.
Once the motorised vehicle driver touches a pedestrian, the pedestrian is either dead or badly injured. Normally in India, the motorised driver is the one who is held to be at fault. So either the driver gets beaten up by the crowd or has to abscond fast leaving behind a hit and run case. Which ever way one looks at it, the driver is left behind with a trauma to deal with for life. Can we not avoid all this and make ourselves ( the drivers) safer?

So isn't it high time that we got the footpaths barricaded if necessary and safe pedestrian crossings and ensured that our carriage way was clear and drive worthy?


*Source: Study published by the EPTRI, April 2005.
**Source: AP Traffic Police data (2007)

Hi Tech City: Is there a difference?

On July 16, 2008, some of us from the Right to Walk Foundation went to Hi Tech city to meet the APIIC GM, who is in charge of construction of roads and footpaths in that area. We found to our horror that right opposite this office, the HSBC was encroaching the footpaths and putting them to a different use. We have since complained to the DCP, Cyberabad Police Station but so far no further progress is made.
The footpaths are actually beautiful, width about 12 feet and height about 8 inches. Ideal for walking. Can some one help us out?

The Car is removed from the Footpath

July 19, 2008
Saw that the car on the Jewellery Showroom footpath was removed. Heard some one say that the car had completed 'its assignment' ( it was a prize for the buyers) and it had nothing to do with the fact that I had complained. What ever be the reason, lets be happy that something has worked!!!

Who owns the footpaths?? Naturally the shop owner!!

The shop is in the central area of Hyderabad. This photograph was taken on June 14, 2008 and sent to the GHMC Commissioner and also the Addl. Comm of Police. So far there has been no response despite several remainders. As on July 9, 2008, the situation remains unchanged. The next step is to encourage people to take pictures of footpaths that are obstructed and send them to the authorities copying me on the mail. I think that if many more people were to take up this issue, the authorities will be left with no option but to clear the footpaths.

Walkability Surveys: Do we need it?

Walkability Surveys

Pedestrians in India are a neglected lot. The callous disregard for their rights is evident in from the fact that there isn’t a single law, legislation, rule or code that voices their rights and gives them the much needed legal platform from which to launch their battle against those who encroach upon their rights. This is not to say that a valid law will necessarily make a pedestrian’s battle against the authorities any easier – the time, the money and the effort that go into a legal battle, as is well-documented, do act as deterrents in a pedestrian raising his voice against a denial of his rights.

So this is why we see pedestrians, choosing to risk their lives on a daily basis by walking alongside fast-moving cars and ominous buses instead of fighting the battle for footpaths. The risk to life isn’t just a myth; statistics suggest that more than 45% of all accidents that take place in the city Hyderabad are pedestrian-related.

There are many aspects in the pedestrian environment that contribute to the overall concept of a walkable community. Walking could be a pleasurable activity and would definitely go a long way in reducing air pollution in our city. People walk everywhere – from home to work, to shop, to school, and to the park. Both ends of all trips in a car or bus are also walk trips.

Q. What is a walkability survey?

A walkability survey is a tool that enables us to collect data about our city’s pedestrian environment in a very systematic way.

Q. Why do walkability survey, when we know that Hyderabad has a poor walkability index? Are we not trying to find out the obvious?

A. We agree with you that Hyderabad would have a poor walkability index. Often the perception of what the problem is need not be the reality. Most people when asked to state the major encroachers on the city’s footpaths answered that it was the hawkers that were the major menace. This is often not the case. On each road the encroacher may vary. On some roads the major encroachers are the Retail Outlets of Big Business houses and in fact on some roads, these business houses have already extended their business premises to the road itself. So a walkability survey will be able to pinpoint the exact nature of the problem. In fact in Hyderabad, in many places, the encroachers are the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s urinals and the transformers of the Electricity distribution agency.

Q. What are the Benefits of the walkability survey?

A. A walkability survey could lead to the following benefits:
(i) To pinpoint the types of encroachment or obstacles that hinder free movement for the pedestrian.
(ii) This in turn could act as a major tool in having a dialogue with the authorities to make pedestrian safety a priority issue.
(iii) This could also lead to the drawing up of more effective action plans based on a problem-solving approach.
(iv) The walkability index is a very powerful tool to make policy makers understand what needs to be done.
(v) It could urge the policy makers to have a Pedestrian Management Plan that will clearly give the dimensions of the footpaths of all the roads and will also indicate the Pedestrian Crossings.

In France, for example, President Jacques Chirac in his 2002 ‘Bastille day’ speech identified road safety as a personal priority for his administration. Political leadership at this high level sent a powerful message to government departments, the police, and the public about the high cost of road traffic deaths and injuries in France. In 2002 more than 7000 people were still being killed each year on French roads. By 2005 fewer than 5000 people were killed, a drop of more than 20%.

We in Hyderabad need to ensure that a similar message comes from our politicians and is thus translated into a serious campaign for ‘The Right to Life’ vis-à-vis the pedestrian.

"The Hindu" Article Published on July 3, 2008

The Right to Walk Foundation -
The Right to Walk Safely on Clean, Encroachment-free Footpaths


http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/03/stories/2008070360830300.htm

Wanted: sidewalks for city’s pedestrians City Pulse
(D.V.L. Padma Priya and Yogendra Kalavalapalli)

HYDERABAD: How long has it been since you last walked on clean sidewalks, devoid of obstacles that make for a pleasant walking experience? Not many roads in our city can boast of decent s despite our politicians’ shrill claims of being world class.
Usually, a pedestrian is the ‘king of the road’ who has the ‘right of the way’. But in our city, a pedestrian is considered a hindrance and sidewalks an obstruction for the ‘free-flow’ of traffic. Kanthimathi Kannan, founder of the Right to Walk Foundation says,“in India either we are unaware or are deliberately unaware of footpaths.” According to a World Bank report more than 40 per cent Hyderabadis are pedestrians. Her focus is to create public awareness so that people can force GHMC to get onto its feet and act on issues that matter.
Recently a student of a women’s college in Begumpet was hit by a motorist as she was crossing the road. “Most of us are scared to use the footpath during peak hours because motorists drive on it,” says Sapna Jain, a student. Vehicles hurtling towards pedestrians leaves them confused resulting in avoidable accidents.
According to Andhra Pradesh Road Safety Authority, pedestrians account for about 45 per cent road accident deaths in the State. Section 374 of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act clearly states that it is the duty of the commissioner of GHMC to take measures for the safety of pedestrians.
Section 2(46) of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act 1955 defines public streets as including sidewalks.
However, most public streets are devoid of sidewalks – a clear violation of the GHMC’s own rules. And where they exist, they are unusable with public urinals, electrical transformers, telephone exchange boxes, trees and encroachments eating into the sidewalks. Footpaths have been removed in many areas to facilitate road widening, forcing the pedestrians to walk on the road. According to Vedakumar, president of Forum for a Better Hyderabad, “70 per cent of road is used by 25 per cent of people. It is this 25 per cent who demand better and wider roads all the time while the rest who should demand wider and better sidewalks remain silent.”
So what makes for a good road? According to Dr. Vijay Kishore, Director, School of Planning and Architecture, JNTU, an ideal road should comprise four lanes, each measuring 3.5 to 3.8 metres with a footpath of 4 feet width and 7 inches height. But not many urban planners seem to be taking these factors into consideration. As Vedakumar puts it, GHMC is worried more about lawns and beautification than in providing basic amenities like sidewalks, zebra crossings and so in.
Encroachment is a major problem that has been plaguing authorities more so in market areas like Koti and Charminar. Though GHMC demarcated hawker zones, they continue to spill onto the roads. Just in this month alone, the Charminar traffic police booked 1,140 cases against hawkers. However, owing to political pressure the police are forced to retract.
However it shouldn’t be taken for granted that hawkers are the sole encroachers. Corporates and big business houses have encroached upon walkways in prime localities like Somajiguda, Ameerpet, Himayatnagar, Mehdipatnam, Patny circle, Paradise and Panjagutta.
It is not always the motorists who are at fault but also the pedestrians. Jay-walking is common with pedestrians randomly hitting the road when they feel like crossing a road. Foot-over-Bridges (FoBs) have their own drawbacks as they don’t take into consideration the aged and the physically-challenged. Though subways have proven to be a good alternative to ease pedestrian traffic, they haven’t really taken off in the city.

A letter from The Right to Walk Foundation to Automobile manufacturers

The Right to Walk Foundation
The Right to Walk Safely on Clean, Encroachment-free Footpaths
http://www.right2walk.com/

Dear Automobile Manufacturer

The Right to Walk Foundation has been created to create awareness and fight for the Right to Walk on the clean and encroachment free pavements amongst the citizens of Hyderabad.


I quote from the Road Safety manual: (Commission for Global Safety) “Road traffic crashes can also disproportionately affect the poorest groups in society. In low and middle income countries poor people are usually vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists). They are at particular risk from the greater variety and intensity of traffic mix and the lack of separation from other road users. Slow moving and non motorised modes have to share road space with fast moving vehicles, leading to increased conflict and risk. In Mumbai, India pedestrians accounted for, 78% of road fatalities.”
Currently, we in The Right to Walk Foundation are in the process of contacting various automobile manufacturers to try and convince them of the need to form a lobby to pressurize the Police department to provide manned pedestrian crossings all over the city. Automobile manufacturers would have a definite interest in proposing and implementing solutions to reduce accident rates. In this regard, an informative video on pedestrian safety can be viewed at
http://chennairoads.wordpress.com/2007/08/06/road-safety-and-traffic-education-2/
We believe that Automobile Giants like Maruti, Ford, Ashok Leyland, and the Tatas can ensure that footpaths can be made clean and encroachment free and pedestrian crossings can be implemented.
Why do Auto Giants need to support the cause of the footpaths and pedestrian crossings?

The benefits of footpaths

1. With clean and encroachment free footpaths the motorised vehicles will be able to give a better mileage because the pedestrian will not meander or wander to the carriageway.
2. Better Pedestrian crossings will ensure that the driver does not have to halt every inch of the way and go at a reasonable speed. Above all the bus drivers will definitely find it easier to drive and bus transport efficiency will also improve.
3. Pollution will definitely come down. The presence of both the clean and encroachment free footpaths and manned pedestrian crossings will reduce the accident rates at least of the pedestrians, who are the most vulnerable members of the society. Today in India, with rising fuel costs it is all the more important that environmental friendly options are available.

What is indeed important to note is that ‘Any one of us can be a road accident victim.’

Let us take care that this does not happen to any of us.

Regards

The R2W Foundation team

The Right to Walk Foundation and the APSRTC Bus drivers

The Right to Walk Foundation June 27, 2008
The Right to Walk Safely on Clean, Encroachment-free Footpaths
http://www.right2walk.com/


The Right to Walk Foundation has been created to create awareness and fight for the Right to Walk on the clean and encroachment free pavements amongst the citizens of Hyderabad.

We find that the pavements are taken over by a number of people. People park their vehicles on them, hawkers sell their wares keeping their ‘bandis’ on them and the worst thing is that people use the pavements as a ‘urinating place’. Corporates use the place in front of their retail outlets as parking space. In most cases, there is no clear demarcation of the footpath and the carriageway.

Why should the APSTRC ensure that pavements are usable?

The pedestrians will walk on the pavements or at least the police can enforce that the pedestrians walk on the pavements and this will make the traffic flow smoother. The traffic flow being smoother has many positives. One is that pedestrian deaths will be greatly reduced, greater fuel efficiency and also the risk of heart diseases reduces for the bus drivers.
Thus APSTRC has a number of gains in the long term if they can manage to pavements clear for public use.

A typical road in Hyderabad means that there are a number of people walking on the road and crossing the road at various points. The problems of people who are walking on the roads instead of the foot paths means that the bus driver has to extremely careful as he pulls the bus into the bus stops. He cannot really see the people who are at the extreme left of the bus and hence would find it difficult to check whether any pedestrian is in line with the movement of the bus. Also pedestrians who are crossing the road cross at various points since there are no fixed pedestrian crossings at all in Hyderabad.

Why should the drivers of APSTRC try to get the pavements made usable?

If the people instead of walking on the roads are made to walk on footpaths, then the drivers have a number of benefits.

Among them are

Have fewer accidents with pedestrians: The drivers will find the roads only with motorists and not have pedestrians on the road thereby reducing the number of pedestrian deaths.

Have less stress and tension while driving: Since the pedestrians will only walk on the footpath, the driver can drive without much of stress since he does not have to worry whether people are going to cross or walk on the road. This reduction in stress will benefit the driver’s health in the long term.

Less pollution: Since the bus will be at a greater speed throughout the journey the pollution will be definitely less because the bus will have a greater fuel efficiency and less stop and go.

We hope that APSTRC will take up this matter with the concerned authorities and make pavements pedestrian friendly.

As of July 3, 2008, the matter about the responsibility of footpaths is pending with the State Information Commissioner’s office. Neither the GHMC nor the Roads and Buildings accept the responsibility of the footpaths on the roads belonging to the Roads and Buildings.
It is a win-win situation for all the peolple, if clean and encraochment free footpaths are made in the city.

We have been trying to contact the APSRTC officials to try and get the message across of the necessity of having clean and encroachment free footpaths and safe pedestrian crossings.