Bengaluru: In order to ensure pedestrian safety, Halasuru police have erected bollards on the pavements of Indiranagar 100 Feet Road. This step was taken following complaints about footpath riding and parking of vehicles on these footpaths.
For the pedestrians using footpaths on 100 Feet Road, it was a nightmare as major chunk was occupied by parked vehicles and many bikers were riding on the pavement, unmindful of pedestrian safety.
When the issue was initially raised, Halasuru traffic police started penalising people for footpath riding. But they soon realised that it was difficult to keep a round-the-clock watch and opted for bollards.
A senior police officer said, “The bikers should realise that footpaths are meant for pedestrians and not for them. Footpath riding becomes rampant during peak hours, as many want to skip traffic. So we thought of erecting bollards as a lasting solution.”
“The bollards will also prevent haphazard parking. People who come to shop, park their vehicles on the footpath and this forces the pedestrian to use the road. We cannot risk the lives of the pedestrians, as they have the right to use footpath,” the officer added.
Another officer mentioned that currently bollards have been erected from K.T. Street to KFC traffic signal on the 100 Feet Road. “Soon we will have them on the entire stretch of 100 Feet Road so that there is no footpath riding or illegal parking,” he said.
The move has been welcomed by the public. Rishabh Gowda, a manager in one of the showroom located on 100 Feet Road, said, “It is an effective initiative by the traffic police and it is high time that heavy fines are imposed on footpath riding. I would also suggest that the pedestrians should not give way to the two-wheelers while they are walking on the footpath.”
There are plans to erect bollards on footpaths in many other parts of the city to curb the menace of footpath riding and illegal parking.
