GMDA to improve 12km of footpaths on key Gurugram roads

Officials said they have floated two separate tenders, and the work on these roads will be completed in the next six to nine months

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has floated tenders to repair and improve footpaths on six key roads in the city in the next six to nine months to help pedestrians on city roads commute safely and comfortably, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

The sector-32/39 road footpath near community centre in Gurugram on Wednesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

According to GMDA officials, approximately 12 km of road length will be covered on sector dividing roads in sectors 32/39, 52/57, 33/34, 24/27, 51/57, and 49/50 -- these roads see a lot of traffic, and improving the footpaths will greatly benefit commuters.

The lack of footpaths, as well as broken and encroached footpaths, has long been a scourge in the city, as residents of the majority of HSVP sectors and even private neighbourhoods find it difficult to traverse the roads on foot, as pedestrians must frequently share space with motor vehicles while walking on the streets.

According to RK Mittal, executive engineer, mobility one division of GMDA, which has floated the tenders, “The footpaths will be repaired, painted and tiled. Ramps will also be built to allow differently-abled people to use the footpaths. We have floated two separate tenders, and the work on these roads will be completed in the next six to nine months,” he said.

Mittal also said that the goal of improving footpaths was to make them more user-friendly and safer. Footpaths on both sides of the roads will be repaired and refurbished, and each road is 1.5 to 2 km long on average, he added.

According to the tenders issued by the authority, the cost of these works will be ₹3.74 crore.

Meanwhile, residents have said that GMDA should consult resident welfare associations (RWA) and residents when planning this work and solicit feedback.

According to RK Yadav, president of the Sector 46 RWA, most of the footpaths in his neighbourhood and adjoining areas are either encroached upon by vendors or blocked by trees, poles, and boards. “In our sector, footpath improvement work was completed last year, but it did not significantly improve infrastructure. The footpaths have large trees that need to be pruned, and these are damaged and encroached upon at several points. These paths must be cleared before they can be improved; otherwise, they will remain unused,” he said.

Yadav also said that in many cases, good portions are knocked off, and old tiles are replaced with new ones simply to meet the contract agreement. “Before beginning the work, a thorough survey should be conducted to ensure that public funds are spent wisely,” he added.

Mushtak Ahmad, a resident of Sector 23A, said that the footpaths in his area are either broken or infringed upon by vendors, making them impassable. “In many cases, even house owners have planted trees and covered the footpaths, leaving only the blacktopped road for pedestrians,” he said.

Meanwhile, road transportation and engineering experts have said that footpaths should be universally accessible, with equal consideration given to children and the elderly. “The roads on which GMDA is working have large carriageways with wide, obstacle-free footpaths. The authority should ensure that these are continuous and that wherever the road leads to a condominium, the footpath rises above to prevent people from having to jump down to walk. The trees along these paths need to be pruned,” said professor Sewa Ram of Delhi’s School of Planning and Infrastructure (Should it be School of Planning and Architecture?).

Ram also said that another critical requirement is the illumination of footpaths, as most of these are hidden beneath trees and are avoided by road users due to a lack of safety. “Many property owners and even developers cover these footpaths to develop green belts, but this forces users onto main carriageways, which should also be avoided,” he said.