This refers to Sunita Narain's column "A few pedestrian questions" (Down To Earth, June 17). It is said walking helps people improve their health. In India, unfortunately, walking on footpaths is dangerous for pedestrians. Like the statutory warnings on cigarettes, one should add "walking is dangerous to your health", at least in our cities. In Bangalore and for that matter in most Indian cities, pedestrians and cyclists are an endangered species. They are sandwiched between the footpath where they cannot walk, and the road where they run the risk of being decimated. The existing footpaths are often turned into parking bays for vehicles. Our authorities, with their mega-budget projects, should consider the plight of pedestrians and make our cities a better and safer place. They only think about making the traffic move swiftly, and not safely. Pedestrians do matter in plans that our authorities are continuously conceiving for the Indian cities. Let us also hope the police and transport officials will forbid vehicle owners from using high-decibel horns, which often frighten people, leaving them disoriented. Great cities are built by creating green spaces and walkways. Wealth, health, and sustainability - the three principal arguments - will be the advantages of walkable cities.
H N Ramakrishna Bangalore
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