Mangalore becoming a city without footpaths

 

Mangalore, 10 Jul 2013 (TOI): The well-laid out concrete roads criss-crossing the central business district areas of the city are a vehicle driver’s delight but pedestrian’s nightmare. Lack of footpaths along the key stretches of these concrete roads force the latter to embrace the chilling option of walking along the footpath and put themselves in harm’s way. City planners failed to factor in this key element to the roads design while laying concrete roads across the city.

 

 

It was the first batch of special grants of Rs 100 crore given by the previous BJP government that spurred massive effort on part of the Mangalore City Corporation in perking up infrastructure in the city. While the emphasis was on laying concrete roads given that asphalted roads do not last long due to heavy rains that lash this part of the city, planners failed to factor in footpaths alongside. Lack of availability of land too was a compelling factor.

 

A walk along the bustling K S Rao Road, Lalbagh junction to KPT Junction Road via KSRTC main bus station at Bejai, road leading from Mallikatte to Bendore junction via St Agnes Road will tell you what a nightmare it is. Students walking gingerly on the road in front of St Agnes College and people braving oncoming traffic on the other two roads exemplifies need for the authorities to provide footpaths.

 

Describing this as a classic case of haphazard development, Vidya Dinker, urban activist, says, "City roads are not safe for any section of society - children to the aged included," citing the example of Bendorewell - Agnes Road. Other major roads in the heart of the city too do not have footpaths and this forces people to walk on the roads, she says, adding it is time that authorities seriously expedited the process of constructing footpaths along these roads.

 

Muneer Katipalla, social activist, says KS Rao Road has been converted into concrete, but there is no provision for pedestrians to walk. As a result, people are forced to walk on the road endangering their lives. Hampankatta is another prominent area where pedestrians face difficulties due to lack of footpaths. Hampankatta - Light House Hill Road, Balmatta-Hampankatta Road and Hampankatta Circle too do not have footpaths.

 

Pooja Prasad, a techie from Bangalore who visited the city recently says, "Lack of footpaths in the city leave a lot to be desired. Moreover, vehicles travel fast and perilously close to the footpaths endangering the lives and limbs of pedestrians." Uneven footpaths in many places also make walking on them an act in gymnastics, says Pradeep S, an entrepreneur, who is managing family business. He worked previously in this city for close to five years.

 

’’Our focus of next wave of development to be taken up across the city will certainly be on footpaths. We have requested the state government to provide us budgetary support to take up this important missing link in city’s road development. In the second batch of Rs 100 crore released to Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), footpaths will get top priority,"J R Lobo, Mangalore City South MLA, also former commissioner, MCC.