We talk endlessly about traffic congestion in Indian cities.
Too many cars.
Too many bikes.
Too many autos.
Too many signals.
Too much honking.
But there is another side of urban mobility that receives far less attention:
What happens to the person who is simply trying to walk?
For millions of Indians, walking from one place to another is not a simple activity. It can mean navigating potholes, broken pavements, uneven tiles, parked motorcycles, street vendors, open drains, construction debris and vehicles using spaces meant for pedestrians.
A journey of just 500 metres can sometimes feel like an obstacle course.
The Pothole Is Not Just an Inconvenience
A pothole is often treated as a minor road-maintenance issue.
But for pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler riders, a pothole can suddenly become a safety hazard.
When a pothole fills with rainwater, its depth becomes difficult to judge.
A pedestrian may step into it unexpectedly.
A two-wheeler rider may lose balance while trying to avoid it.
A car may suddenly swerve around it.
And that one pothole can create a chain reaction involving several road users.
Delhi has repeatedly seen roads develop potholes during monsoon conditions, while cities such as Mumbai have also reported large numbers of potholes requiring repairs.
The bigger question is:
Why should reaching your destination require constant attention to where you are putting your feet?
And Then There Is the Footpath
In theory, the footpath is one of the simplest pieces of urban infrastructure.
It exists for one primary purpose:
To give pedestrians a safe, continuous space to walk.
Indian road guidelines themselves emphasise obstruction-free pedestrian facilities and reducing conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles. (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
But walk through many Indian neighbourhoods and you may encounter something very different.
The footpath may be occupied by:
- Motorcycles and scooters
- Temporary shops
- Street vendors
- Advertising boards
- Construction material
- Garbage
- Electricity poles
- Broken tiles
- Open drains
- Randomly parked vehicles
Sometimes there is a footpath.
But there is no usable footpath.
When the Footpath Becomes a Motorcycle Lane
One of the most frustrating situations is watching a pedestrian move aside because a motorcycle is travelling on the footpath.
The irony is difficult to miss.
The pedestrian has been pushed onto the road because a vehicle has entered the space specifically designed to keep pedestrians away from vehicles.
This isn’t just an infrastructure problem.
It is also a civic-sense problem.
If a footpath is available, pedestrians should be able to use it without constantly looking over their shoulders for motorcycles.
At the same time, cities need proper enforcement and adequate road design so that people aren’t forced into unsafe alternatives.
And Then Come the Small Temporary Vendors
Street vendors are an important part of India’s urban economy. People depend on them for everything from snacks and newspapers to cigarettes, gutka and everyday necessities.
The problem isn’t necessarily that vendors exist.
The problem is when there is no proper allocation of space.
A small stall placed exactly where people need to walk can reduce an already narrow footpath to a tiny passage.
Then someone parks a bike beside it.
Someone else puts a board outside their shop.
Another person leaves construction material there.
Suddenly, the pedestrian has nowhere to go.
And the pedestrian ends up walking on the road.
This is where urban planning, enforcement and civic responsibility all intersect.
The Body Pays the Price
There is also a physical cost to constantly walking on uneven and obstructed surfaces.
Walking on uneven terrain changes how the body moves. Research has found changes in gait variability and increased mechanical work at the knee and hip when people walk on uneven surfaces. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Other biomechanical research shows that uneven surfaces require additional adaptations from the foot and ankle to maintain balance. (PubMed)
This doesn’t mean that every person who walks on a bad footpath will develop knee pain.
But repeatedly navigating broken, uneven surfaces can make walking more physically demanding and can increase the need for constant balance and adjustment.
And imagine doing that every single day.
You step over a broken tile.
Then around a pothole.
Then onto the road.
Then back onto the footpath.
Then around a parked scooter.
Then over an uneven drain cover.
Then suddenly a motorcycle appears behind you.
Walking should not require this much concentration.
A Footpath Should Not Be an Obstacle Course
One of the biggest problems is the lack of continuity.
A perfectly constructed section of pavement suddenly ends.
Then there is a two-foot gap.
Then a ramp that is too steep.
Then broken tiles.
Then a shop entrance.
Then a parked scooter.
Then another section of pavement.
From an engineering perspective, a pedestrian pathway should ideally be continuous, accessible and free from obstacles. India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways guidance specifically calls for obstruction-free sidewalks and adequate pedestrian facilities. (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
But for the pedestrian, the reality can be:
“Figure it out yourself.”
The Most Vulnerable Pay the Highest Price
Think about an elderly person walking on such a pavement.
A parent pushing a stroller.
A child walking to school.
Someone carrying shopping bags.
Someone with an ankle or knee problem.
A person using a walking stick.
A person with a visual impairment.
For them, a broken pavement isn’t merely inconvenient.
It can determine whether they can safely walk through that area at all.
That is why pedestrian infrastructure isn’t a luxury.
It is basic urban infrastructure.
Congestion Is Not Only About Cars
We often measure congestion by counting vehicles.
But there is another form of congestion:
Pedestrian congestion.
When a footpath becomes unusable, pedestrians spill onto the road.
When pedestrians occupy the road, vehicles slow down.
When vehicles slow down, congestion increases.
Then everyone gets frustrated.
Drivers blame pedestrians.
Pedestrians blame drivers.
Shopkeepers blame the authorities.
Authorities blame encroachment.
And the cycle continues.
We Need to Stop Treating Every Problem in Isolation
A pothole is not just a pothole.
A broken footpath is not just a broken footpath.
A motorcycle on a pavement is not just a parking violation.
A temporary stall isn’t just a temporary stall.
Each one becomes part of a larger urban system.
Road design + maintenance + enforcement + vending policy + parking + civic sense = pedestrian experience.
If one part fails, the pedestrian often pays the price.
So What Should a Better Indian Road Look Like?
It doesn’t necessarily require futuristic infrastructure.
It requires basic things to work properly:
A continuous footpath.
Proper drainage.
Smooth and level walking surfaces.
Safe crossings.
Clearly defined vending areas.
No motorcycles on pedestrian pathways.
No random parking on pavements.
Timely pothole repairs.
Properly covered drains.
Accessible ramps.
Enforcement when public space is illegally occupied.
And equally importantly:
Civic sense from citizens.
Don’t park where people walk.
Don’t ride where pedestrians are supposed to walk.
Don’t throw waste into drains.
Don’t leave construction material on pavements.
Don’t block an entrance or pathway simply because it is convenient for you.
The Question We Should Be Asking
Perhaps the real test of a city’s development isn’t how wide its highways are.
It is something much simpler:
Can an ordinary person walk 1 kilometre through the city safely, comfortably and without constantly worrying about what is going to come under their feet?
If the answer is no, then something is still missing.
Because roads are not built only for cars.
Cities are not designed only for vehicles.
A city ultimately exists for people.
And sometimes the most basic sign of a well-functioning city is not a flyover, an expressway or a beautiful skyline.
It is simply this:
A person can walk home without having to dodge a pothole, a motorcycle, a vendor, an open drain and a speeding vehicle every few metres.
That should not be a luxury.
It should be normal.