“Crossing SG Road, where not a single second passes without speeding cars, feels as perilous as Abhimanyu’s chakravyuh in the Mahabharata ,” said Rajubhai, a daily wage labourer who performs the dangerous task twice a day.
Despite attending the largest group of commuters – around 45 million on a daily basis – India’s road infrastructure remains heavily skewed in favour of the 0.54 million users of motor vehicles. This imbalance forces millions of pedestrians, particularly women and children, to navigate poorly designed and hazardous streets.
With 33.1 per cent of workers walking to their jobs, and 55.1per cent of women depending on foot travel, the lack of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure is a critical issue.
Meanwhile, that along with the development of pedestrian infrastructure, it is crucial to raise awareness among pedestrians about their rights.