Walking and Footpaths

Why walking is the most common way to get around Indian cities, why poor footpaths and encroachments make it unsafe, and the economic case for walkable streets.

Walking is the most basic and common mode of transport.

Problems

Missing or broken footpaths.
Encroachment by parked vehicles and shops.
Unsafe crossings.

Safety

Pedestrians make up a large share of road deaths in India.

Economic case

Walkable streets help shops and local businesses.
Walking links to public transport.
Health benefits from exercise.

Street vendors

Footpath space is shared with vendors; the Street Vendors Act, 2014 seeks to regulate vending zones.

Good examples

Projects like Pune’s street redesigns and Chennai’s non-motorised transport policy (2014) improved footpaths.

The redesigned street

After a street gets wide footpaths and seating, foot traffic rises and nearby shops see more customers.

Thinking walking needs no infrastructure

Safe footpaths are essential.

Key takeaways

Walking is the most common mode.
Footpaths are often broken or encroached.
Pedestrians face high road death risk.
Walkable streets help businesses.