The Right to Walk

Petition Submitted to State Human Rights Commissioner

2009-09-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

Kanthimathi Kannan
The Right to Walk Foundation
12-2-709/A/22, Karol Bagh Colony
Hyderabad -500028

Aug 28, 2009

Respected Honourable Justice
Greetings!!
The Right to Walk Foundation is an NGO campaigning for Pedestrian Safety in the city of Hyderabad.
Pedestrian Crossings:

We have been filing petitions from May 15, 2008 with both with the GHMC and the Police Department requesting them to put up manned pedestrian crossings. We have given specific locations for a 4 km- stretch as a starting action location. So far no action has been initiated. In fact all we get is an oral response stating that action will be taken.

Ownership and responsibility of footpaths:

From Dec 2007, we have filed RTIs with the GHMC to check the ownership of footpaths from Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital to Nanal Nagar Chaurastha. Finally in Nov 2008, almost a year after the original RTI was filed the GHMC accepted the responsibility of the aforesaid footpaths. But again in Jan 2009, have stated in a letter that the footpaths are being maintained by GHMC because of VIP movement but they belong to the Roads and Buildings Department. In March we have filed a petition at the State Information Commissioner’s Office regarding the issue.

Parking Issues:
Most corporate retail outlets in the twin cities do not have adequate parking facilities. We have been filing petitions from February 1, 2008 with the GHMC and later with the Police that parking on Footpaths should be prohibited. Even after a year, the issue is still unresolved. There is a minimum parking requirement as per the government order passed in March 2006 but it is not implemented.
Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
AP Traffic Police Data for the city of Hyderabad: Pedestrian Casualties in 2007: 263 Died and 2047 Injured. It seems as though the pedestrian in Hyderabad has NO RIGHT TO LIFE. People walk with a lot of tension and are unable to cross the road because of lack of manned pedestrian crossings.
Article 13: Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
A pedestrian is unable to walk freely because of the various hurdles on the sidewalks; the lack of manned pedestrian crossings is a death trap for the pedestrians.
Article 23: Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
The poorest of poor is unable to walk to his/ her place of work and thus is deprived of the Right Choice Of Livelihood.
Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
The people living in the vicinity of the arterial roads are subject to ever increasing pollution and the authorities have not been able to implement the recommendations by the Integrated Environmental Strategies. (Study For the City Of Hyderabad, Prepared by the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute, (EPTRI), April 2005.)
The health of the people seems to have taken a back seat for the authorities.

Particularly near Rhythu Bazaar, Mehdipatnam, the footpaths are urinated and women in particular find it an affront to their dignity to see the men relieve themselves. Such unhygienic conditions also lead to dengue and other deadly diseases.
Article 26: Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
How can the children access the schools? The absence of proper access paths has made it difficult to go safely to the schools and thus might be one of the reasons for increasing drop rate of children.
THE SAD FACTS
One Road Accident Occurs every Two minutes: Ministry of Home Affairs

* India has only 1 percent of the world's vehicles, accounts for nearly 6 percent of the total cases of unintentional injuries caused by vehicles: WHO
*Perhaps saddest of all, Pedestrians make up the vast majority of victims. The World Bank estimates that 55 percent of Indian pedestrians become victims of road crashes at some point in their lives.
*In terms of mortality per 10,000 vehicles, the rate in India is as high as 14 compared to less than two in developed countries. The cost of road crashes has been assessed at one to two per cent of GDP in developed countries. A study by the Planning Commission in 2002 estimated the social cost of road accidents in India at Rs.55, 000 crore annually (2000 prices), which constitutes about 3% of the GDP. (Gross Domestic Product)
*The World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention released by the World Health Organization on the World Health Day (7th April, 2004) has highlighted that nearly 12 lakh people are known to die each year in road accidents globally. Keeping in view the increasing global concerns about the growing impact of road traffic accidents, the United Nation General Assembly and World Health Organization have declared the year 2004 as the year of road safety. In India alone, about 1 lakh of people die each year.
*The Report talks about the need to protect women, children, senior citizens, disabled persons and pedestrians in matter relating to road safety and traffic management.

Source: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ROAD SAFETY and TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, February, 2007

The relief that we pray for from the SHRC is as follows:

1. Demarcate footpaths and make “Zero Tolerance of Footpath Encroachment” as a Mantra. This should be started as soon as possible.
2. Start having manned pedestrian crossings and ensure that it is pedestrian friendly. Crossing the road is a nightmare and many people use an auto to cross the road.
3. Ensure that all Retail Outlets clearly write on a board the parking facility available for the outlet and also a toll free number that gives the public a right to call and complain regarding the parking problem.
4. There should be a day in the week where all government employees are to use either non-motorised transport or public transport to come to the office.
5. Ensure that footpaths are free from litter and people should not urinate on them. The government needs to realise that it is a health hazard and needs to take steps immediately to rectify the problem.
6. Finally ensure that the GHMC has a Pedestrian Safety Cell. This cell is headed by at least a Spl Commissioner. We feel that unless a single authority takes charge of the pedestrian issues, there are going to be no solutions for the issues raised. Presently there are 4/ 5 departments with GHMC itself to deal with footpaths and pedestrian crossings. Each department decides the fate of the footpath on its own.

Pedestrian Police is a MUST.

THOSE WHO WALK CANNOT DECIDE AND THOSE WHO DECIDE DO NOT WALK.
(Please help us reverse this trend)

Yours Sincerely
Kanthimathi Kannan
Founder President of the Right to Walk Foundation

UNEP and R2W : Link of R2W as a Case Study!!

2009-03-31T22:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Ms. Kanthimathi Kannan:

In response to your email below to MaryM'Mukindia, I am writing to update you on a UNEP and FIA Foundation project that is developing guidance on how to improve road design and finance for integrating NMT into road infrastructure investments in developing countries. It is provisionally called the '10% campaign', and we are launching a website next week that will be linked to UNEP's urban environment page: http://www.unep.org/dpdl/urban_environment/. This campaign and work is based on a World Bank and Commission for Global Road Safety recommendation that all donor supported road projects in developing countries should include a minimum 10% road safety component, and that this principle should be rigorously and consistently applied by all bilateral and multilateral donors. In terms of the design elements required to design and build streets that are safe and optimal for all users, we are now developing a global guidance document that will 1) summarize what the '10% campaign' is trying to achieve and why, 2) will seek to define mobility and roads according to new thinking and understandings of the function of road space (e.g. iRAP's Vaccine for Roads report), 3) will outline the barriers to improved NMT and safety financing at the international and national (local) levels in countries, 4) will summarize what an urban 'sustainable' road would look like from a design perspective (incorporating elements which improve safety, accessibility and environmental performance), 5) will outline a set of indicators that would help agencies and policy makers assess the performance of these roads based on these three indicators and/or decide how what percentage to allocate to road safety (including NMT infrastructure), and 6) will make recommendations on how to change practice (including financing allocations - hence the 10%) based on established best practice (e.g. complete streets, CSS, etc.) and using case studies from African cities as examples of where improvements are being made and where more can be done. We would like to present the document and recommendations at the November 2009 road safety ministerial in Moscow, where donors and international institutions and road funding consortiums will be present. While our initial focus is on Africa, this is a global campaign and the work is relevant to Asia in particular. We are currently working with iRAP, ITDP, and iCE (this is a FIA Foundation funded project) to produce this material and would like to link R2W as a case study/resource on the UNEP website. I am also attaching a short brochure on this work.

With best regards
Elisa
Elisa Dumitrescu
Urban Environment UnitClearing-House of the Partnership for Clean Fuels and VehiclesDivision of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE)United Nations Environment ProgrammeP.O Box 30552 Nairobi, KENYATel: (+254 20) 762 4735Fax: (+254 20) 762 5264
http://www.unep.org/dpdl/urban_environment/http://www.unep.org/pcfv

Bangkok Post and R2W

2009-03-31T22:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.bangkokpost.com/leisure/leisurescoop/12977/bangkok-footpaths
BANGKOK FOOTPATHS
Time to take a step in the right direction By Anchalee Kongrut
By:
Published: 8/03/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Outlook
There is something strange about the footpaths on Bangkok streets, something that defies the commonsensical notion that a wealthy, highly urbanised and extremely popular tourist city should have footpaths that are at least walkable, if not convenient, clean, user-friendly and, dare we hope, beautiful. Try walking down most of the crowded streets in Thailand's capital. You will be taken aback by the construction on our public footpaths, with their piles of bricks, sand, pipes and even steel rods. Even without the trappings of ongoing construction work, there will be blockages in the forms of phone booths, electric poles and sign posts, not to mention rubbish, the smells and creatures including rats and cockroaches.
Some people may point an accusing finger at the vendors who have turned public footpaths into mini bazaars. While it is true that these merchants are part of the problem _ and it will require massive, long-term poverty eradication measures to dislodge them _ removing them does mean the problem will go away.
More than eight years ago, then Bangkok governor Bhichit Rattakul came up with construction-free roads _ he banned footpath and road excavation on some of the major roads in Bangkok. Mr Bhichit at that time seemed to understand that the root causes of the headache plaguing Bangkok's footpaths were management and structural, rather than the problems created by rubbish, food vendors and vagabonds on the pavements.
His project bore scant fruit as he had only four years to play cat and mouse with contractors and utility project developers, and no Bangkok governor since then seems to have paid adequate attention to this issue.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration spends around 40 million baht annually on the maintenance of footpaths. Last year, the city spent 42.8 million baht to fix the footpaths on 30 roads. Bangkok has 704 roads and 4,305 sois with a total footpath area of 5.5 million square metres. There are only 22 bicycle routes with a total length of 182km. Motorcycle taxis ply some of these routes.
''But the problem is more about footpaths not being carefully designed and their need for constant repairs,'' noted Mr Bhichit.
Footpaths in Bangkok are not designed to handle infrastructure. Underneath the footpaths is just compressed sand that soon collapses and subsides. Paving the entire lengths of the footpaths with concrete is not possible as the public utility authorities or other organisations responsible for telephones, cables, water and electricity need to excavate the footpaths from time to time to repair or upgrade their infrastructure. Cities with better public utility management lay utility lines in separate slots.
Judging from these facts, under the circumstances, any hope of seeing better and walkable footpaths seems to be only wishful thinking.
However, present environmental problems _ air pollution and global warming _ should prompt people to make greater use of mass public transport, or to walk more. A walkable city with a good transport system would mean that people can realistically choose to leave their cars at home, or make minimal use of them.
According to the World Bank's 2007 report on strategic urban transport policy directions, commuters made 2.7 million walking trips in a single day on Bangkok's footpaths. The report indicates that the frequency should have been much higher if the footpaths had been improved, had fewer obstructions and had been wider. The average width of a footpath in Bangkok is 1.8m, which is the minimum generally accepted standard, but this does not account for the considerable amount of space occupied by encroaching vendors and motorcycle taxis.
In the meeting on walkability in Bangkok early this year, World Bank transport economic adviser Zhi Liu said better footpaths means a better economy, less fossil fuel consumption and less respiratory problems caused by air pollution.
''Instead of being able to walk two or three kilometres to work, we have to drive, and the combustion of fossil fuels by our cars aggravates climate change,'' said Mr Liu.
He advised the authorities to use ''incentive measures'' to award or punish contractors for the way that they do their work on footpaths. Mr Liu even suggested that hiring the private sector to take care of footpaths could be the solution to ensure that Bangkok has acceptable, walkable footpaths.
But all these measures are just management manoeuvres. In the end, nothing will happen without political will, which will only come to life if there is widespread and concerted public demand for improvements.
Some aid agencies, like the World Bank, are looking at the issue of the walkability rate in the city with interest.
The bank launched a project called ''Walk the Talk: Global Walkability Index''. Last June, 80 young volunteers collected data and conducted interviews at 14 footpath areas, covering 416 square metres, across the city. The results identify the areas with the best and the worst walkability. Similar studies have been carried out in other cities, among which are Metro-Manila and Jakarta. In the end, poor quality footpaths are likely to be addressed properly, not by construction, but as a result of public pressure.
''The bottom line is the philosophy ... The philosophy is what we need to privatise ... [we have to choose between] vehicles and the feet of human beings,''said Mr Bhichit.

A global network movement _ the so-called Right to Walk Foundation _ has gained momentum since the idea was mooted in 2005 by Kanthimathi Kannan, a resident of Hyderabad in Andra Pradesh in India. She pressured the city administration into improving the footpaths in her neighbourhood. Her campaign has inspired activists in many other cities around the world.

In the eyes of most Bangkok residents, it would seem that the poor quality footpaths are still tolerable. Those who walk, walk with great caution to prevent injury to their legs, ankles and other parts of their body. Those who dig, uproot and construct, continue their mayhem. A hero, heroine or social-conscience agitator is anxiously awaited.

R2W and the Health Minister

2009-03-02T23:42:00.000-08:00

What are the issues that the Ministry of Health can take up?

1. Initiate medical surveys for the State Road Transport employees and the Police Staff. Both these are under high pressure jobs and have a greater risk for cardiovascular diseases.
2. As you are aware pollution from transport related activities constitutes about 55% of air pollution. If your department can get people to become aware of the issue of pollution, it would go a long way in our campaign.

The R2W and Petroleum Conservation

2009-03-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

We feel that if the people are able to walk short distances instead of using their personal motorised vehicles, and also cross the road with using an auto ( Yes, you are reading it correctly), then definitely petroleum conservation is possible. We have sent the following mail to the PCRA authorities:

What can the PCRA do for the Rights of the Walker?

Slogans

SAY YES TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT; REDUCE POLLUTION;
SAY YES TO WALKING AND CYCLING; IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH;
SAY NO PERSONAL MOTORISED VEHICLE; REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Surveys

Many Cities across the World have a Car Free Day. In most cities, the menace of the motorbike is absent. Conduct Surveys at Petrol Pumps as to how we can have a NO PERSONAL MOTORISED VEHICLE. What are all the ingredients that are required to make this happen?

If you can conduct a survey we can have a questionnaire prepared for you.

Could you also get others in the PCRA involved in the cause of the walker?

Pedestrianisation in the West!! Why should we copy them??

2009-02-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

//www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/nyregion/26broadway.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Mayor Plans to Close Parts of Broadway to TrafficBy WILLIAM NEUMAN and MICHAEL BARBARO

Published: February 25, 2009
The city plans to close several blocks of Broadway to vehicle traffic through Times Square and Herald Square, an experiment that would turn swaths of the Great White Way into pedestrian malls and continue Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s effort to reduce traffic congestion in Midtown.
The New York Times

Broadway traffic would also be barred in Herald Square. Although it seems counterintuitive, officials believe the move will actually improve the overall flow of traffic, because the diagonal path of Broadway tends to disrupt traffic where it intersects with other streets.
The city plans to introduce the changes as early as May and keep them in effect through the end of the year. If the experiment works, they could become permanent. The plan was described by several people who were briefed on it this week.

Mr. Bloomberg was expected to announce the plan Thursday. A City Hall spokesman declined comment in advance of the announcement.
The plan calls for Broadway to be closed to vehicles from 47th Street to 42nd Street. Traffic would continue to flow through on crossing streets, but the areas between the streets would become pedestrian malls, with chairs, benches and cafe tables with umbrellas.
Seventh Avenue would be widened slightly within Times Square to accommodate the extra traffic diverted from Broadway.
Below 42nd Street, Broadway would be open to traffic, but then would shut down again at Herald Square, from 35th Street to 33rd Street. Then, below 33rd, it would open again.
The plan is the latest move by Mr. Bloomberg to change the way the city thinks of its streets, making them more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists and chipping away at the dominance of the automobile.
Once the changes are in effect, a large stretch of Broadway in the heart of Midtown would be radically changed.
Last summer, the city narrowed Broadway from 42nd Street to 35th Street by setting aside two lanes on the east side of the street for a bike lane and promenade with tables, chairs and planters.
That project, called Broadway Boulevard, met with some skepticism at first but quickly became a popular lunch spot for office workers and tourists. Under the new plan, officials are considering creating a similar promenade from 47th Street north to the vicinity of Columbus Circle.
A theater industry executive who was briefed on the plan this week said the reaction among Times Square business leaders was largely favorable.
“I think it potentially could be a big plus if it speeds up traffic flow through the Times Square area,” said the executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the briefing was considered confidential until the mayor announces his plan. “If you have a major pedestrian area, that actually could be something welcoming and lovely.”
Cora Cahan, president of the New 42nd Street, a nonprofit group that oversees seven historic theaters, said she was not briefed on the latest plan but had seen preliminary proposals last year.
“I think it’s very worth trying,” she said, adding that Times Square badly needs more room for pedestrians.
The plan has some risks, especially if it does not deliver on the promise of decreasing congestion.
New York drivers, including cabbies and truck drivers, can be zealous in defending their use of the city’s streets. Their passion helped doom Mr. Bloomberg’s congestion-pricing proposal last year to charge drivers to use the most heavily traveled streets of Manhattan.
Some may also question the timing, now that the city is struggling with a recession. The theater executive who was briefed on the plan said one worry was whether taxis and other vehicles would have difficulty leaving people in front of theaters.
Jeffrey Zupan, a senior fellow for transportation for the Regional Plan Association, an independent organization, said planners had been calling for similar changes for years.
He said Broadway tended to foul up traffic at each intersection with an avenue. To allow for green lights on Broadway, the duration of the green lights on the avenues and cross streets had to be shortened, backing up traffic.
“The lower the volume is on Broadway — or if you eliminate it altogether — then traffic is going to move better,” Mr. Zupan said. “That’s one of the positive things that’s going to come out of this. The win-win is that the space that you’re freeing up will be used by pedestrians.”

GHMC Budget: Transport for the Urban Poor? Pedestrian!!

2009-02-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

SAVE THE HYDERABADI PEDESTRIAN FROM EXTINCTION

Hyderabad: Is the GHMC Budget forward looking? Where is the poor pedestrian in all this? How do the urban poor go to earn their livelihood?

A Kilometre of 8 feet width footpath costs ONLY about 30 lakhs!! Can the GHMC not afford to spend that money and save lives?? Basically if about 250 Crores are made available, then the entire city’s footpaths can be made walkable.

GHMC budget forward looking’
Corporation’s budget sees 8.4 p.c. hike from last year
HYDERABAD: Economic slowdown notwithstanding, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, has pegged the next year’s (2009-2010) budget outlay at Rs. 3,159 crore, a clean 8.4 per cent hike from last year’s Rs. 2,920 crore with special focus on housing and poverty alleviation.
Draft budget proposals released here on Thursday by Commissioner S.P. Singh projected a capital expenditure of Rs. 2,160 crore, same as capital receipts, with intent to go for ‘innovative’ methods to raise revenue from property tax in processing Layout Regularisation (LRS) and Building Penalisation Schemes (BPS) as well as PPP modes. Flanked by Special Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu and Additional Commissioner (Finance) B. Ramesh Babu, the Commissioner claimed that the budget was “realistic and futuristic” to propel the “right kind of balanced development”. Separate budget
A separate poverty alleviation budget was proposed for the first time with an outlay of Rs. 870.53 crore (including Rs. 630 crore for housing) or 28 per cent of the overall budget for improving the lives of the poor.
“We were finding it difficult to track the spending on urban community development earlier,” pointed out Mr. Singh and expected the new move to help identify and implement programmes for the poor better. “Our focus is to make Hyderabad an international class mega city with inclusive growth as infrastructure development also mean providing amenities like housing,” he said.
Major projects proposed are road restoration work at Rs. 354 crore, road widening Rs. 171 crore, storm water drains Rs. 180 crore, BRTS Rs. 150 crore, MMTS Rs. 200 crore, River Musi Rs. 15 crore and so on. Accepting that the recession was going to have its impact, he observed that revenues from ads, stamp duty, building fees, etc., could be hit. However, he expects substantial revenue from LRS and BPS processes as more than two lakh have applied for these schemes. “Without increasing property tax, there will be growth from assessment of new buildings, conversion from residential to commercial and extra built up space declared under BPS once the court case is over,” he said.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/27/stories/2009022758580300.htm

Police seek subways at traffic junctions : Cyberabad

2009-02-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

Are You Confused? Don't Worry, So Are They!!

Police seek subways at traffic junctions
Staff Reporter
Existing subways not user-friendly: Cyberabad police chief
FOBs difficult for children and senior citizens to use, says Prabhakar Reddy
Police submitted to government list of subway junctions to be built six months ago

Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police has requested the government to take up construction of subways at busy traffic junctions in view of the increase in accidents on the suburbs.
Cyberabad Police Commissioner S. Prabhakar Reddy especially mentioned the clogged Hi-tec City junction in Madhapur and Uppal crossroads where pedestrians find it extremely difficult to cross. Likewise, there are over 40 other locations where there frequent traffic jams occur on a daily basis, pointed out Mr. Reddy. “We have prepared a list of such junctions and have submitted to the government six months ago, requesting construction of subways,” he said.
About the foot over-bridges (FOBs) constructed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation at different locations, including the one coming up at JNTU crossroads, Kukatpally, he said it would be difficult for children and the aged to climb the steps.
He observed that it would be much easier for people to use a subway than the FOB. He also said that the existing subways were not user-friendly and hence, had to be closed. Subways should be designed in a way to accommodate more commercial aspects like shops, ATMs, etc., which would help people in their daily life. There should be good illumination and security personnel should be deployed to ensure better safety for persons using them, he added.

Don’t push pedestrians to subways: Chidambaram

2009-02-27T20:53:00.000-08:00

Express News Service Posted: Feb 19, 2009 at 2348 hrs IST
New Delhi: Building subways for pedestrian crossing is a “retrograde move”, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said while answering a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday about the state of traffic at Gol Dhak Khana roundabout. “Pedestrians have as much, if not a greater, claim to roads as vehicles,” Chidambaram told the House. “The tendency to push pedestrians into subterranean subways and allow vehicles to use the road surface is a retrograde move.”
Rajya Sabha member Rajniti Prasad had raised a question on the absence of pedestrian facilities at the Gol Dak Khana roundabout. What has added to the traffic nightmare in the area is the ongoing construction on the New Delhi-IGI Airport Metro line, expected to be completed next year. Five arterial roads converge at the Gole Dak Khana, which has been declared a heritage building.
Chidambaram told the house that he had discussed the issue with Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal on Wednesday morning. “The traffic police have posted nine policemen to manually regulate traffic in that area,” he said. “There is also one policeman on motorcycle who moves around regulating the traffic. All traffic is stopped for 20 seconds every two to two-and-a-half minutes, allowing pedestrians to cross during non-peak hours. I advised the police commissioner that they should stop all traffic for at least 10 to 15 seconds every 2 to 3 minutes even in peak hours to enable the elderly, children, women and others to cross the road.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dont-push-pedestrians-to-subways-chida.../425224/

Walk Path For R2W??

2009-02-27T03:22:00.000-08:00

The Way Ahead For the R2W:

1. Signature Campaign Launched

2. Request to Reconstruct/ Build New Footpaths:

Mehdipatnam: The R2W in July 2008 had requested permission to rebuild the ‘Rhythu Bazaar footpaths’ but we realised after a few months that we need to reword the petition and also involve celebrities and the media so that the footpaths do not again become dirty and a urinating area. Also we need to talk to people to find out where a toilet should be built and as to how it can be made more useful to the people.

Lakadikapul: The R2W is planning to request permission to reconstruct the already available footpath in front of HDFC Bank. Presently it is used a parking lot.

Masab Tank: The R2W is planning to request permission to construct footpaths from Archie’s to Medivision. At many of these places, the footpaths are used as parking lots.

3. Walkathon: On Feb 17, 2009, the Goethe-Zentrum and the R2W coordinated with Vidyaranya School and conducted a ‘Study Walk’. The post walk presentations to the invited authorities were very interesting and well received. The R2W plans to have more such walks in the future.

4. Conduct Walkability Studies: This is a fairly scientific method that gives a few guidelines to enable the walker to decide how walkable a stretch is. [We are enclosing a Report regarding the same]. The R2W is involving students from the urban planning department of JNA and FAU, Masab Tank in the study.

5. Conducting and participating in Transport/ traffic related Seminars. On Saturday, Feb 21, 2009, the R2W with the Goethe Zentrum conducted a seminar on Urban Transport Issues in Hyderabad. It was well attended and the basic idea of giving a Charter to the Government will be taken up.

6. Formation of a Pedestrian Safety Cell:

The R2W has been always for a dialogue between the officials and the activist so that both the parties can understand each others view points and work together. The R2W feels that unless a single authority takes charge of the pedestrian issues, there are going to be no solutions for the issues raised.

Presently there are 4/ 5 departments with GHMC itself to deal with footpaths and pedestrian crossings. Each department decides the fate of the footpath on its own.

Hyderbadi Issues and Some "Tryable" Solutions

2009-02-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

Issues in Hyderabad that are probably unique and Hyderabadi

Footpaths are dirty because of urination and garbage dumping

--All Government and Transport Officials need become a Pedestrian Once a WEEK.
--Fund Your Walk Ways(A named tile like in a temple) and Pedestrian Crossings
--Dirty Footpaths ( Use the background to get art work done by people and have a competition month after month)

Ideas / Solutions: Footpaths

If Footpaths are made Wider, it could become

An Additional Lane for Motorbike Traffic:

There are many designs available where a motorbike cannot access the footpaths; Make a two small step structure instead of a ramp and also have a railing for the wheelchair person to climb.

A Parking Issues:

Ensure that all Retail Outlets clearly write on a board the parking facility available for the outlet and also a toll free number that gives the public a right to call and complain regarding the parking problem.

A Hawking Zone:

A dialogue needs to be had with the different stakeholders so that the hawkers also understand that the pedestrians need to be protected. In fact the R2W would say that ‘Leave the Hawkers alone for the Time Being’

The Panacea for all Traffic Evils- Road Widening?

2009-02-27T03:17:00.000-08:00

Solutions: Many people, even some in authority believe that road widening is a panacea to all traffic chaos. ???

What could Road Widening result in?

Traffic engineers often compare traffic to a fluid, assuming that a certain volume must flow through the road system. But urban traffic may be more comparable to a gas that expands to fill available space (Jacobsen, 1997).
Empirical evidence unequivocal over a rather counter-intuitive result: Additional road construction results in more traffic congestion. Induced traffic basically means that the city cannot build its way out of the problem. While additional road construction may lead to a temporary reduction in traffic levels, this free additional space eventually attracts road traffic especially when there is latent demand for private vehicle usage.

Source: Source Book, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany

The above does not mean that Road Widening is NOT REQUIRED AT ALL or SHOULD NOT BE RESORTED to but it simply means that the issue needs to thought through more carefully and a decision needs to be taken.

If we have the pedestrians out of the carriageway, definitely the traffic chaos will reduce and the flow of traffic will be smoother.

Huge Benefits. Yet We Do Not Have Safe Walkable Paths?

2009-02-27T03:12:00.000-08:00

BENEFITS

Benefits from Safe Pedestrian Access Paths–

Reduces accidents

Increases trader income#

Improves Health##

Reduces Trauma of the Driver: APSRTC any Study Health Conducted?

Increases Social Interaction

Increases Tourism

Improves Mobility

Increases Public Transport Usage

Reduction in Vehicular emissions ###

#People no longer frightened of the Vehicle on the Road. Pedestrians are inclined to go Window-shopping do Shopping. Better Walkways lead to increase in Business Incomes
Source: Asian Development Bank Document

##Through a study of 12,000 US households a correlation has been established between urban densities and levels of obesities. Family members in lower density suburbanised areas showed a markedly higher tendency to obesity than their counterparts in more walkable, higher density areas.
Source: Source Book, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany

###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. The reduction in vehicular emissions over Business as usual and corresponding percentage reductions in this scenario are presented in tables for the road stretches Sanatnagar to Nalgonda 'X' Road and Panjagutta to Secunderabad
Source: Integrated Environmental Strategies, Study for City of Hyderabad, Prepared by the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute; (EPTRI); April 2005

Why Should the Pedestrian Suffer?

2009-02-27T03:08:00.001-08:00

THE SAD FACTS

One Road Accident Occurs every Two minutes: Ministry of Home Affairs
India has only 1 percent of the world's vehicles, accounts for nearly 6 percent of the total cases of unintentional injuries caused by vehicles: WHO
Perhaps saddest of all, Pedestrians make up the vast majority of victims. The World Bank estimates that 55 percent of Indian pedestrians become victims of road crashes at some point in their lives.
In terms of mortality per 10,000 vehicles, the rate in India is as high as 14 compared to less than two in developed countries. The cost of road crashes has been assessed at one to two per cent of GDP in developed countries. A study by the Planning Commission in 2002 estimated the social cost of road accidents in India at Rs.55, 000 crore annually (2000 prices), which constitutes about 3% of the GDP. (Gross Domestic Product)
The World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention released by the World Health Organization on the World Health Day (7th April, 2004) has highlighted that nearly 12 lakh people are known to die each year in road accidents globally. Keeping in view the increasing global concerns about the growing impact of road traffic accidents, the United Nation General Assembly and World Health Organization have declared the year 2004 as the year of road safety. In India alone, about 1 lakh of people die each year.

Source: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ROAD SAFETY and TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, February, 2007

In Hyderabad, on an average in a week, 5 Pedestrians die and about 40 are Injured. *

*AP Police data for the Year 2007

Safe to Walk?
Where to Walk?
Where to Cross?
How to Cross?
Who Suffers?

Percentage of People having Motorized Transport in Hyderabad -23 to 25%
Percentage of people who use Footpaths in Hyderabad- 75%

THE WEAK SUFFER MOST
Children
The Old
Physically Handicapped
Women

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

2008-11-07T04:14:00.000-08:00

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!!

2008-10-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

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!!

2008-10-09T05:26:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-29T00:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-29T00:48:00.000-07:00

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.....

2008-09-29T00:33:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-09-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-08-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-08-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

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!!

2008-07-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-14T05:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-14T03:13:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

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.

Foundation Started on Dec 5th

2007-12-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

We have on Dec 5th started the Right to Walk Foundation. The Right To Walk Foundation has been created to create awareness and fight for the Right To Walk on the 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’.

Join Us in the Fight for the Right to Walk by Posting your comments on the blog.

Article published by the CSE in June 2006

2007-12-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

This article was published by the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi in June 2006.

Response to my E mails from the GHMC office

2007-11-22T00:55:00.000-08:00

There has been no change in the nature of the E mail responses from the GHMC authorities. I have been E mailing them regularly and also calling them up but so far no action is taken.

Nov 16th

Smt. Kannan Garu,
The representation along with the endorsement of the Addl. Commissioner ofPolice, Traffic, Hyd., Sri V.S.K.Kaumudi, IPS was also been sent to theAddl. Commissioner (Planning), GHMC, vide this office outward No.742/3,dt.16-11-2007 for immediate action.
Thank you
with regards,
C&SOGHMC.

Oct 22nd

Smt. Kannan Garu
Thank you very much for bring the matter to the notice of the Commissioner& Special Officer regarding encroachments of payment at Mehdipatnam. Thesame has been forwarded to the Zonal Commissioner (Central Zone), GHMC fortaking appropriate action in the matter duly intimating the same to you.You are also requested to be contact with the ZC (Central Zone) on hermobile No.99499-94035 for further information.
Thank you
with regards
c&soghmc

Response to my E mails from ACP : Oct 20th to Nov 20th

2007-11-21T23:17:00.000-08:00

These are E mail responses from the ACP. Nothing much has changed but at least the ACP responds to E mails and in fact even picks up his mobile. He is very keen to get rid of the mess but I think that he is waiting for the right time.

Nov 5th
Dear Madam,
Ref: Mail No. 272/2007
Thanks for your mail.

Efforts are being made to free the roads and footpaths of encroachments. Notices have already been served on the concerned for vacating the place.

Regards,
V.S.K.Kaumudi, I.P.S.,Addl. Commissioner of Police, Traffic,Hyderabad.

Oct 25th
Dear Madam,
Ref: Mail No. 264/2007
Thanks for your mail.
I have already instructed the ACP to see that commercial vehicles do not permanently grab parking place. Let me know if things don’t improve in a week.

Regards,
V.S.K.Kaumudi, I.P.S.,Addl. Commissioner of Police, Traffic,Hyderabad.NB: In future, please refer to the Mail No. allotted above.

Oct 24th
Dear Madam,
Ref: Mail Nos. 255, 257 & 260/2007
Thanks for your mails.
The matter has been examined. GHMC has been informed about the alleged illegal construction and encroachments on the pavement for appropriate action.

Regards,
V.S.K.Kaumudi, I.P.S.,Addl. Commissioner of Police, Traffic,Hyderabad.

Efforts made in the last two days : Nov 20th and 21st

2007-11-21T22:59:00.001-08:00

I have contacted the 'Forum for Better Hyderabad' . I had sent them an E mail with regard to the conditions of pavements and also I have spoken to a few people from the organisation. I think that they are willing to take this up as a cause and fight for the pavements.

I have also contacted APSTRC. I have been reading in the papers that a number of pedestrains have been moved to death in the last couple of days by the buses. It is not that the bus drivers want to kill people. They are responsible human beings who want to save lives as much as possible. Today driving in the city has become a major problem and a health hazard for the drivers. Pedestrains too do not walk on the road because they want to get killed. They are compelled to do so because of the pavements being either dirty or encroached upon by hawkers or pavements being used for parking purposes.
The APSTRC ( Andhra Pradesh Road Transport)official seemed to interested to take up this cause and has said that he would get back to me.

My dream for Hyderabad

2007-11-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

My dream is that the pavements of Mehdipatnam should become like a US town, (clean and fit for walking). Most of the pavements here are either encroached by people parking their vehicles on them or by people using them as a urinating place. Also I believe that the common man needs to be able to walk in his own part of the locality and not need to go to some park or fancy club. India is home to the largest number of diabetics and I think that the only solution to this is to help people walk from one place to another.
Pollution in India is reaching new heights thanks to the autos that have proliferated the towns. Instead of using autos for short distances if people could walk, the pollution levels are definitely going to come down.

I do know that this is not easy to achieve but I am going to give it a try for the next 20 years at least. My first job is to find out whether there are similar minded organisations that are already working for pavements in Hyderabad. Then net work with such people and then go ahead.

I have for the past 3 years tried to give petitions and also I have filed a PIL (Public interest litigation) in the High Court. None of this has worked. So I need to rework my plan and get it going.

Pavements Oct 13th: New structures come up

2007-10-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

On Oct 11th, the green tree on the pavement had a structure built around it. Was anybody concerned? Not to my knowledge. I have mailed the Additional commissioner of Police, ( Mr. Kaumudi) on Oct 15th and yet no response from the police department. One wonders, how a structure on the main road escapes the notice of the authorities? Or does it really escape them? I have on Oct 16th mailed the commissioner of GHMC ( Mr. Sarma). Hope to get a reply from him.

Pavements or Parking Space, Does Anyone Care?

2007-10-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

Is there a pavement in front of the mobile store? Your guess is as good as mine. This store was opened only a year ago without any arrangements for parking. Why have parking space when the entire pavements are there to park?

Is this a pavement? God help us!!!

2007-10-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

Imagine!!! This is the pavement right next to Rhythu bazaar (a place where farmers sell their produce directly to customers). This bazaar is closed on Tuesdays and these farmers sit on these pavements and sell their produce.
Is the sense of hygiene missing completely? Or is it the fact that only the poor come here to buy and the total indifference to the health of the poor?

Photographs of the pavement Oct 8th 2007 and Oct 12th 2006

2007-10-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

The last photograph was taken by me on Oct 12th 2006 and submitted to the Municipal Commissioner of Hyderabad on Oct 24 2006 along with several others of the same area. The first two were taken on Oct 8th 2007 and the comparison clearly shows how a travel group has taken over the complete pavement where earlier he had occupied a part of the road. This despite the fact that the pavements are along the main road leading from Mehdipatnam to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital. The question is, 'Where can people walk?'

MCH comm: Oct 24th 2006, Pavements in Mehidipatnam ( Hyderabad)

2007-10-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

From
Kanthimathi Kannan

Date: Oct 24th 2006

The Municipal Commissioner
Hyderabad

Sub: Pavements in Mehdipatnam

Respected Sir
Let me on behalf of all the residents of the Mehdipatnam area thank you for providing us with a very beautiful Foot over Bridge. Unfortunately this is not much used and everyone crosses the road as per his or her wishes.
I had on February 5th, 2005 and Sept 27th 2005 given letters regarding the appalling conditions of the pavements in Mehdipatnam. There have been several drives to clear pavements in the past year to clear the pavements of encroachments but none of them have really worked. For example, in Dec 2005, when there was a Congress Session at Gachibowli stadium, all the pavements were cleared and the roads looked really broad and clean too.

What is the real issue of the pavements?
In some places it is wide but people urinate on it and also on the road there are a number of vans/ cars that are parked all the time and the pedestrians are put to a lot of trouble. (Exhibit 1, 2)
In some places as shown in the photographs (Exhibit 3), it is occupied by vendors
The bus stops are very crowded and hence people are forced to use the road as a pavement.
The pavements are also used as parking lots. (Exhibits 4, 5 and 6)
There are new constructions coming up in the area that do not have proper parking space. These new constructions in the past year include huge buildings that have the HDFC bank, ICICI bank, Railway reservation counter among others. What happens is that since there is not adequate space for parking inside these complexes, vehicles take up the road space to park. This in turn leads to a lot of confusion on the road.
The pavements also have dangerous electrical equipment.
MCH has built urinals but there are no pavements alongside it

Why do we need pavements?
For walking safely
More people will use the public transport system if pavements are made safe and walk able. Studies have shown that Hyderabad is among the few cities where usage of the public transport system is dropping each year. This results also in a rise in private vehicles that in turn leads to higher pollution levels.

Sir, could you kindly look into the matter and make the pavements of Mehdipatnam ‘walk able’?

Thanking You

Yours faithfully

Kanthimathi Kannan

Enclosures: Letters sent to MCH (dated Feb 5th 2005 and Sept 27th 2005); also photographs taken in Mehdipatnam area.