Jayakrishnan Vu
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: Capital city fares average in providing walkways and other eco-friendly infrastructure to its citizens.
According to the findings of an ongoing study on ‘Walkability’ by Local Governance Network (LGNet) and Clean Air Initiative, Asia, 79 per cent interviewed rated pedestrian facilities in city as ‘‘worst to average’’, while only 21 per cent felt the facilities ‘‘good to best’’.
The study interviewed 399 citizens across 24-kilometre stretch of traffic points and residential areas in the city, stated Parthaa Bosu, India representative of CAI-Asia, which began an initiative to improve public transport and reduce pollution levels in Asian cities.
“At least 83 per cent of people interviewed have demanded more crossing points, and 68 per cent wanted slow-paced vehicles in city areas. In order to cross a particular location, 58 per cent wanted crossing points at an average distance of 100 metres, said Bosu.
At least 62 per cent respondents felt facilities for differently-abled in the city inadequate while 60 per cent sought better streetlights, wider, cleaner and better footpaths.
The city also fares poorly in amenities like benches, public toilets and trees along walkways. Discontinuous footpaths were a big letdown, the study found.
The most astounding revelation in the study is that 51 per cent of pedestrians expressed their desire to opt for acquiring cars and two-wheelers if no improvement has been made to better their situation.
The study said this trend is prevalent in all Indian cities which have preferred a pro-motor vehicle policy to allotting walkways.
Such a situation would make Indian cities more congested and reduce the numbers of pedestrians from our roads, warns the study. Housing & Urban Development secretary G Mathi Vathanan said during a Smart city citizen connect programme here that Bhubaneswar has to improve its amenities to pedestrians.
However, he hoped the smart city programme launched under the Central initiative would help make the city, pedestrian-friendly with more pathways, pavements and facilities to improve the lives of average citizens.
H&UD director (Municipal Administration) Sanjib Kumar Mishra said the study suggested pedestrian problems need simple solutions such as allocating clean footpaths without obstruction and regulating vehicular speeds at crossings. Lack of facilities for people with disabilities was a universal concern throughout India, added Mishra.
