Ahmedabad: The urgent need for footpaths and pedestrian spaces on city roads cannot be overlooked as it is directly linked to public safety. Major city roads lack proper footpaths, and thousands of speeding vehicles make walking perilous. Recent data reveals that at any given time, an average of 15,720 vehicles traverse Ahmedabad’s roads compared to 1,270 pedestrians either walking or crossing. Data from the city police, gathered under the Nirbhaya initiative via CCTV networks, shows an average of 9,510 two-wheelers, including power bikes, on city roads at any moment. Additionally, there are 3,400 cars, 1,400 trucks (operating during permitted hours), 567 buses, 521 pickup vans, and 33 pickup trucks. Surprisingly, despite the global trend of using bicycles to combat climate change, their presence in the city is minimal. On average, only 64 bicycles are on city roads at any given time. These figures are based on CCTV footage, and the actual numbers can be much higher.

No Pedestrian Prioritization
According to the data, the city has approximately 5.5 million vehicles, with an additional floating number of 1 to 1.5 million vehicles. Naturally, not all registered vehicles are on the road simultaneously. City police officials stated that creating footpaths and pedestrian spaces is the responsibility of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Experts note that, apart from a few encroached footpaths in the walled city area, there are no substantial pedestrian paths or crossing options. Traffic expert Amit Khatri highlighted, “In most countries, pedestrians are prioritized in city infrastructure. Here, the situation is dangerous. Even if a vehicle plying at 30 kmph hits a pedestrian, the chances of the accident resulting in fatalities are high.”

Although the AMC has started constructing footpaths near Dafnala and Shahibaug and a foot-over bridge at Vastral, these facilities must be utilized. Areas like Ahmedabad Railway Station, Geeta Mandir Bus Stand, and Narol, frequented by the labor force, lack adequate road crossing options, with pedestrians relying solely on zebra crossings amidst heavy bus traffic, increasing accident risks.

Footpaths and Bridges Underutilized
An expert remarked, “There’s a foot-over bridge at Vastral, but fit youngsters prefer crossing the road. To ensure safety, we need to erect at least four-foot-tall parapets on both sides of the road for at least 200 meters, forcing people to use the bridge.”