Pune’s Pedestrian Policy Remains on Paper: Encroachments and Neglect Plague Footpaths

Pune, 11th December 2024: Despite the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) drafting a ‘Policy for Pedestrian Facilities and Safety in Pune City’ in 2016 to ensure safe and uninterrupted movement for pedestrians, the policy remains unimplemented, leaving the city’s footpaths in disarray. A recent survey conducted on the occasion of Pedestrian Day revealed that over half of the city’s 574 kilometers of footpaths are encroached upon, forcing pedestrians onto roads and endangering their lives.

The pedestrian policy, prepared under the leadership of then Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar and approved in August 2016, remains stagnant after eight years. It was devised with inputs from the Chief City Engineer, Deputy Regional Transport Officer, traffic police, academics, and urban planning experts. Despite its promise of transforming pedestrian safety in Pune, its non-implementation has raised concerns among activists and citizens alike.

Of Pune’s 1,400 kilometers of roads, 574 kilometers have footpaths meant for pedestrian use. However, more than half are encroached upon by shops, food stalls, and street vendors in areas such as Kasba Peth, Appa Balwant Chowk, Laxmi Road, Bajirao Road, and Kumthekar Road. In residential and semi-urban areas like Padmavati, Dhankawadi, and Sinhagad Road, footpaths have been overtaken by obstructions like electric generators, streetlights, and shop signs, leaving pedestrians no option but to walk on the streets.

Major commercial roads like Jungli Maharaj Road, Fergusson College Road, Karve Road, and Vidhi College Road, intended to have accessible footpaths, are overcrowded with pedestrians due to poor management and encroachments.

To address traffic congestion, PMC had built pedestrian underpasses at Nal Stop Chowk, Jungli Maharaj Road (near Modern College), and Bibvewadi (near Bhapkar Petrol Pump). However, these underpasses remain largely unused and are now closed. Additionally, underpasses at locations like the Pune Collectorate and Pune Station are occupied by unauthorized shops, further compounding the issue.

Data from ‘Save Pune Traffic Movement,’ a city-based advocacy group, revealed that 120 pedestrians died last year while crossing roads or walking on the roadside, compared to 106 fatalities the previous year. This alarming rise underscores the urgent need for implementing the pedestrian policy.

Prashant Inamdar, President of the Pedestrian First Organization, criticized PMC’s lack of action. “The PMC’s pedestrian policy has earned accolades from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Chandigarh. However, these achievements are hollow without concrete on-ground implementation. Celebrating Pedestrian Day once a year is meaningless when the policy remains limited to paper,” he said.

The neglect of footpaths not only jeopardizes pedestrian safety but also undermines Pune’s commitment to being a pedestrian-friendly city. With the death toll rising and public frustration mounting, citizens and activists are calling for PMC to prioritize pedestrian welfare by enforcing its policy, removing encroachments, and ensuring proper maintenance of footpaths and underpasses.