A walk along one of Ahmedabad’s busiest stretches, SG Highway, reveals broken footpaths, potholes and open manholes, leaving pedestrians concerned about their safety, especially during the monsoon. With rains expected to intensify, commuters fear waterlogging could hide these hazards, increasing the risk of accidents.
The damaged footpaths often force pedestrians to step onto the busy carriageway before climbing back onto the pavement, disrupting movement and exposing them to fast-moving traffic.”During rush hours, it becomes extremely difficult. No one can walk continuously on the footpath. We are forced to step onto the road and then climb back again, which is unsafe,” said pedestrian Dhara Patel.Residents have urged the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to repair the damaged stretches at the earliest. “If the authorities resolve this quickly, it will benefit the public.
People always appreciate the AMC when it provides proper civic facilities,” said Hemant Patel.Apart from safety concerns, pedestrians also complained about the physical strain caused by the uneven surface. “Walking on these damaged footpaths causes back pain. If we stop for a moment or fail to notice a vehicle approaching from behind, we can easily fall into a pothole.
The AMC must fix this immediately,” said Devang Sanghavi.Residents have called for urgent repairs before heavy rains worsen the situation, making the damaged footpaths and open manholes even more hazardous for commuters.