From the Hindu - 'HC Notice to State ... pedestrian safety'
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ordered issue of notices to the State government and various civic authorities on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking direction to ensure safety of pedestrians in Bangalore city.
The petitioners sought directions to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the city police to remove all advertisement hoardings and obstructions on all footpaths and medians in the city to ensure safety of pedestrians.
They also sought directions to various authorities to jointly maintain the footpaths on all roads in the city by providing access for prams, wheelchairs and safe crossing zones/zebra crossing at regular intervals with suitable escorts for persons with disabilities, children and senior citizens.
The petitioners also pleaded to the court to direct the authorities to ensure that adequate pedestrian facilities are provided as per Indian Road Congress standard prior to building new roads as such considerations have been overlooked in the construction of flyovers expressways, underpasses, metro project and so on.
From the DNA - 'HC asks government about footpaths'
After hearing a petition that chided the city as no-man's land for pedestrians, Karnataka high court issued notices to civic agencies, seeking their statement on the issues raised in the petition.
Jenny Pinto and others have contended in the public-interest petition that Bangalore is not a pedestrian-friendly city as footpaths in various parts of the city are in peril. The petition says that as the city's population increased manifold, it has seen an increase in the number of flyovers, underpasses and magic boxes, adding that all the developments have been done only for motorists, while totally ignoring the pedestrian.
From The New Indian Express- 'High Court notices to ... on pedestrian safety'
The High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the state government, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and others in connection with a PIL seeking better facilities for pedestrians in the city.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna issued notices to the state government, BBMP, BDA, PWD, KRDCL, and KSPCB, and directed them to file objections.
The counsel representing the petitioner submitted, “According to a survey, one pedestrian dies every day in the city and NIMHANS states Bangalore is the fourth most dangerous city for pedestrians.” For example, there was no pedestrian space at the flyover junction near Indiranagar-Koramangala Ring Road, he said.
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More coverage
This PIL was covered in ToI and other papers as well. Can't find the link right now. If anyone can, please do share here.
TOI article with comments and support..
here is it in TOI
The comments section has some support from public too..guess they can be involved too..
...jaywalking fine imposed
Jaywalking: 195 cases booked
This only makes sense where they have provided a crossing & it is not being used. Most of the city doesnt have facilities to cross. I hope this law is clear & not misused there. What if they have provided an underpass/overpass & there are old people who find it difficult to cross? How will they ensure public transport stops near these underpasses or crossings & not somewhere else? how are they informing people the presense of facilities especially since it is not a standard facility in the city?
Pedestrian facilities & jaywalking fines-both should go together
IDS
I think, both should go together. On one side, we should keep fighting for better pedestrian facilities, footpath etc, but at the same time, these fines should also be imposed and highlighted in the media so as to let people know of their responsiblities also.
I know govt should first provide pedestrian facilities, but atleast wherever they have provided, we should respect it and follow the rules.
To give an example, there are 2 pedestrian signals on the IRR, one in front of EGL and other one just near the start of the flyover, both just 500 m seperated. They both function well and people are using them efficiently. Motorists also follow the signal in the same percentage as they do on any other signal (I mean, you will always find a few not respecting the RED light). But I see many time, pedestrians also don't think about RED/GREEN, just start walking, that too good sophisticated, well-dressed youths. They should definitely be booked for jaywalking.
Deepak
Deepak, But my point is how
Deepak, But my point is how do you ensure they apply only where the option to cross exists & not everywhere? does it say in the law or the act they are using penalize? Has an instruction been given to the staff or made clear to you & me by the police? every crossing outside a zebra crossing is a jaywalking & what is the garuntee that they will not penalize you anywhere else even when facilities dont exist? Why the F*** do they never think thru anything before implementing? Look what happened to lane discipline with the cones/spring posts? Everything is jugaad, how will it last?
Love it IDS
Some words just resonate IDS. Not adding any value here except to say that I LOVE this line.
Why the F*** do they never think thru anything before implementing? Look what happened to lane discipline with the cones/spring posts? Everything is jugaad, how will it last?
You need to add more 4 letter words. Some of the actions are like trying to plug a leaking dam with duct tape. I would like to see a proper road engineering department in the city with the mandate to design roads, footpaths and lanes and signals and so on and traffic police should ONLY enforce the law and provide on the ground inout to the traffic engineering people.
Of course, lot of other things have to change... so...
critical mass for peds?
I have seen it work at Mysore bank junction...where groups of pedestrians move together in a close pack crossing the road at grade..they brave the might of the busses and yet succeed in crossing the street!
So actually jay walkers are at higher risk trying to negotiate roads with fast vehicles..so instead of mid block sprints..they can as well get to the junctions and other legal ped crossings to form the critical mass which can cross safely..
so maybe the fines for jay walking could actually help in better safer peds crossings..
Horrible
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
pedestr-obatics
some interesting photos of how we negotiate road crossing.
http://www.thehindu.com/n...
you might be interested to knwo that when it comes to laws...its all there ..about how to build roads, maintain them, cross them, drive on them....all there and all sound laws too.
its in the compliance, implementaions and enforcement that we fail. and fail badly. we need a paradigm shift in our thinking. thats what i am hoping the PIL will help seed. with your help ....fr the long term of course. nothing changes overnight.
European Charter of pedestrian rights
This was adopted 25 years back. http://www.pezh.gr/english/pedchart.htm. See Point III. We must have at least a million small children in Bangalore - who hears their voice? They don't vote and hence don't count.
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
useful data?
A press release from Janaagraha said the report focused on walkability, which includes adequate footpaths, pedestrian crossing aids and street lighting, all combined facilities which make roads user-friendly and safe for pedestrians. The report revealed that 20.9 per cent of the roads surveyed have no footpaths, while 53.3 per cent have footpaths on both sides and 52.4 per cent have sufficiently wide footpaths on both sides. - - - At present, Janaagraha is conducting a poll on “Which is the best way to make Bangalore more walkable.” Public can participate by logging on to www.ichangemycity.com.
For the full report in the New Indian Express, click here.
Perhaps, we can use some of the data compiled by Janaagraha.
janaagraha
it would be useful to know, which areas they covered in the surveye. "52% have suffiently wide footpaths" seems quite exaggerated to me. and would be useful to know, of the alleged 52%, how many meet with the IRC standards.
murali, will j'graha be forthcoming with info?
Total?
The report revealed that 20.9 per cent of the roads surveyed have no footpaths, while 53.3 per cent have footpaths on both sides and 52.4 per cent have sufficiently wide footpaths on both sides
...Why doesnt it total to 100?
Subset?
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
The solution is to have well thought out road templates
Have spent some time in this. The problem is at many levels, in part the way the IRC has come up with its documentation. Its impractical to assume an engineer will read through a 100 documents before they lay out a road (would be happy if they read through one !)
The practical solution is a few smarter people have to sit down and come up with a few templates, eg: a 30ft road, a 80ft road, a single lane road, road with street vendors, etc. These should be well thought through and meet the guidelines as well. After that, its a question of the engineer on job picking up one.
The way things are done now is somebody starts with a road and space for footpath. Then the electricity guy comes and puts in a pole right in the middle, and the forest deparment will put in a tree, effectively making it too narrow and thus unusable.
Whether you like it or not, they are upteen uses of a road, (footpaths, drains, undergroudn cabling, traffic, vendors, street lighting, parking, trees, cycling, bus-stops etc). Dealing with each one in isolation is the fundamental flaw in the process. We have to think it through comprehensively and come up with a template which takes into account all of these and does an efficient job of using the road space. Can be done if we approach it right
Suhas
Agree broadly, it starts with
Agree broadly, it starts with BBMP correctly classifying the roads as conservancy, local, collector, sub arterial & arterial. Each one has a function & its features will be specific. Right now there are only 2 classification. Major & minor of all shapes & sizes.
Even then it is ridiculous to think that the engineers for road building are not educated on IRC standards for road building. WIll this be acceptable in any other profession? They shouldnt be touching the roads in that case.
tender sure?
When in doubt or even otherwise use 'Tender Sure' specs..unfortunately it does not get them the money like they would be making now..hence no tender sure for sure!
IRC guidelines for pedestrial safety
To come down to the heart of this, at the end of the day, there are just four that need to be followed (at least)
1. Unobstructed width of 1.5m : This is the most critical. The unobstructed is important, no tree, telephone pole, bus-stop in the middle
2. Surface quality : Should be even, firm, well-drained, non-slip
3. Access ramps at road crossings: for wheelchair and others
4. Kerb height : of 125mm from paved road
How difficult is it to ensure this ?
Suhas
Suhas
No Pedestrian Signal Cycle in many junctions
There are no pedestrian signal cycles in many of the Bangalore traffic junction with BTP concentrating only moving vehicles than people.
In Devegowda Petrol Bunk, which is a very prominent signal on ORR near Padmanabhnagar, there is no pedestrian cycle. Yesterday I tried to cross the road risking on the zebra crossing when no vehicles were present, when a speeding Honda City who had an yellow signal came from nowhere like hitting to frighten me and arguing why you are crossing road. There was lot of space behind me, still that raging driver wanted to have fun.
A traffic police was sitting right there did not even bother to stop the car and was a mere spectator. He is simply telling me 'hogi hogi..' (go go).
I complained this of BTP's FB page. Condition of a pedestrian and a bus traveller is horrible in Bangalore. People driving cars forget they too walk sometimes and cross the roads.
since we are on the topic of pedestrian footpaths
Since we are on the topic of pedestrian facilities; i would like to recall an interesting video that i had shared sometime back in another blog on praja -
http://praja.in/en/blog/blrpraj/2010/08/10/interesting-video-summarizing-pedestrian-infrastructure-problems-india
The above video is a stark reminder of the lack of pedestrian facilities & forethought in the 2nd most populous nation on earth.
Fgiven some requirements to BBMP engineer.ootpaths
Mr. Suhas,
Can you give the link to your presentation?
In HAL II Stage, foot paths are being laid in 13th Main.
Our RWA have
K.V.Pathy
Foot paths
Mr. Suhas,
Can you give the link to your presentation?
In HAL II Stage, foot paths are being laid in 13th Main.
Our RWA have given some requirements to BBMP engineers.
K.V.Pathy
Sent
KV Pathy
Have sent by email to pathykv@gmailcom
Let me know ifyou dont receive
Suhas
How can general citizens help
How can general citizens help on these? Can court after initial hearing agree to take proofs of pedestrian apathy, or lack of pedestrian safety in the form of photos and direct BBMP, BDA and govt accordingly?
That way, we all and other citizens can take charge of few areas and get a lot of such photos and we can compile, and submit it to the court. See if that kind of possibility is there.
Deepak
Foot path work in HAL II Stage-13th Main
Today (19th June) the MLA (C.V.Raman Nagar), Mr. Raghu with the Corporator , Ward 88,(Jeeva Bima Nagar) Mr. Chadrashekar visited the work site and discussed in detail with Citizens reps (incl. HAL II Stage Assocn). He inspected the work site and issued instructions to the officials of BBMP, Forest dept. etc. He agreed to almost all suggestions of our Association regarding our requirements and assured that this stretch of foot path work will be a model for the entire constituency.
K.V.Pathy