Civic activist files PIL seeking enforcement of pedestrians’ rights

As per the petition, pedestrians’ rights are absolutely neglected by the PMC. The city has badly constructed or broken or no footpaths in some areas

PUNE: Civic activist Qaneez Sukhrani on Tuesday filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court (HC), seeking enforcement of pedestrians’ rights and implementation of the Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines involving footpaths by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Sukhrani, informed the PMC that the urban development department (UDD), town planning and valuation department, district collector Pune, and Maha-Metro are all respondents in the PIL. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Sukhrani, during a press conference on Friday, informed the PMC through its commissioner that the urban development department (UDD), town planning and valuation department, district collector Pune, and Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha-Metro) are all respondents in the PIL.

As per the petition, pedestrians’ rights are absolutely neglected by the PMC. The city has badly constructed or broken or no footpaths in some areas. Pavements are encroached upon by hawkers, food stalls, beggars, the homeless, squatters, excess debris, pipes, and other obstructions, making it impossible for pedestrians to move freely and safely. On most occasions, pedestrians are forced to walk on streets and roads, exposing themselves to the danger posed by moving vehicles. The PMC has based its planning and construction of footpaths on the INC norms (2012) but there is complete lack of implementation. The norms mandate that footpaths should be a connected and continuous mode of transport, just like roadways and railways but this has been completely ignored by the PMC. Furthermore, the petition states that footpaths are dug up haphazardly and thereafter, never levelled. The Maha-Metro has grabbed entire footpaths for constructing entry- and exit- staircases at several locations. There is an absence of basic facilities such as at-grade pedestrian crossings; ramps on footpaths for seniors, the challenged and disabled; marked and painted pedestrian zebra crossings; and safe access to subways and FOBs.

Sukhrani said that filing the PIL was imperative. “It is quite obvious to all that everyone has rights to the footpaths, except pedestrians. So, after a few applications under the RTI Act 2005; numerous communications; media articles; taking hundreds of GPS-based photographs, I have gone ahead with filing the PIL as there was sufficient evidence available,” she said.