We actually have been doing data analysis on accidents using State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB) data of accidents on FIR's of accidents from 2010 onwards for every year and the results we had from the back work, basically its very clearly shows 95 % of deaths that are happening are of vulnerable road users.
These are primarily half the deaths are of pedestrians and rest half are of two wheelers. These two are clearly among most vulnerable road users. So, the statistics that Ministry of Roads and Transports released of pedestrians death rise is no surprise. It is expected.
Now, it is closely linked to the way the pedestrians rights and pedestrian level of service being treated in the city. You take any part of the city except may be these tender sure roads where there are reasonable level of footpaths, anywhere else in the city you can't even walk 100 meters without facing any hurdles. You will have 100 hurdles in 100 metres.
The height of the footpath will not good, there will be trees, there will be boards, there will be some transformer, there will be vendors all kinds of things. Second issue is there is no enforcing agency to enforce the rights of the pedestrians on footpaths.
Traffic police does the enforcement of vehicle riders on road, all kinds of violations happen, they deal with it, but there is no agency which enforces the rights of way of pedestrians. Two wheeler is riding on footpaths, people have occupied the footpaths with their construction material dumped on it or some vendor has spilled over their activity no body to ensure the right of way and pathway remains clean for people to walk.
This forces pedestrians to move on the road and which puts them at the risk of getting conflict with the fast moving traffic. Similarly, for crossing the road every junction in the city where there is fast moving traffic on the road, we need to compulsorily provide pedestrian crossing at regular intervals.
This is a norm and general practice in many westren countries and countries where road deaths are very less. For example when I am here in Australia, I will see clearly the level of infrastructure they provide for safe movement as well as safe crossing of pedestrians at every junction, every road has clear, well laid, good quality footpaths without fail.
So, when such infrastructure is missing, it is very obvious that we are putting pedestrians at risk. And also you don't have any enforcing agency that is enforcing the right of way of pedestrians, so such conditions make pedestrians much more vulnerable because they are forced walk on roads or cross roads without any protective signal or signanges etc.
Here in abroad, at every junction if the volume of pedestrian crossing is low, they would complusorily provide a pelican signal or push button signal where a pedestrian can simply push the button wait for the signal to turn green and vehicle's to stop and then cross.
So, there is general lack of priority and treatment of right of way and facilities for pedestrians and walkers to move. This is a main reason both lack opf planning in policies to provide infrastructure for pedestrians. This is the main reason why the pedestrians deaths are very high.
It is reflection of the poor focus or lack of focus on priority for movement of pedestrians.
First is, as the policy things have to come at policy level then at they will come at the planning level and then at the operation and execution level. At the policy level the government has to have the clear understanding of clear priority for movement of pedestrians.
Because of lack of infrastructure, people use two wheelers for short trips or others forms of transportation. First , as a policy the government should decide that they would like to prioratise the movement of pedestrians not just on every road but on city centres and busy roads like the Commercial Street and M G Road, Brigade Road and many other places which are commercial places where the traffic condition is very high and situations of accidents.
In such cases, the government must prioritise movement of pedestrians, some of the streets can be made pedestrian only streets, so these kinds of policies needs to come first. Accordingly, the budgetory allocation should happen at the government level.
Once, that happens, the planning point of view, the scientific approach for BBMP to plan the infrastruture is needed. The BBMP is showcasing footpaths made through tendure sure project work is actually nothing great. Its not something special. This level of workmanship on constructing footpaths should always been maintained.
Even with this tender sure roads their quality is not as good as in Australia or in Europe. Their the footpath infrastructure and quality is even better. But, in any case the BBMP should focus on the feeder areas, metro stations, city centres, residential neighbourhoods where they can first start as the priority on ensuring walking infrastructure. This will make people to feel safe to walk and walk longer distances easily.
At the execution level, quality should be maintained. It is generally priovided very high curb height of footpaths. So, people will have to literally jump up and down when they have to use footpaths. Why we shoulfd provide such high footpaths? These are small things which we simply forget.
Dr. Ashish Varma, Associate Professor, Transportation Systems Engineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISC)
