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Pedestrians chalk out territory in Borivli .....TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: “If the footpath is for hawkers and roads for vehicles, where will pedestrians walk?’’ asked several Mumbaikars, including senior citizens, who gathered outside Borivli station on Wednesday. They took to the roads to chalk out their territory. Literally.
Residents from the area launched a movement to reclaim their rights on public roads. The Pedestrian Satyagraha, which kickstarted in Bandra last month, reached Borivli in an attempt to demand space for walking. Holding cans of paint, they marked walkways at the centre of the road and formed a human chain along the pathway, inviting pedestrians to walk on this path. “We do not want separate footpaths. They will be immediately obstructed by hawkers and garbage cans. We want 6 ft of the existing road on either side of the divider to be marked as a pedestrian lane,’’ said Krishnaraj Rao. They said that pedestrians and bus as well as train commuters constitute about 85% of the city’s traffic, but actually get to use only 15% of the roads.
This movement is aimed at ensuring the safety of children and senior citizens. “The first right of the road rests with the two-legged citizen who is likely to get tired. We need space to walk,’’ said 70-year-old Chittur Padmanabham of the Dignity Foundation.
While the campaign was on, more and more people joined hands to extend support. In fact, policemen came forward as well and helped direct the traffic. According to assistant municipal commissioner A L Wagralkar, however, there is enough space to walk. “There are footpaths and we keep tabs on encroachments time and again,’’ he said. CLEAN SWEEP: The Pedestrian Satyagraha, which kickstarted in Bandra last month, reached Borivli in an attempt to demand space for walking |
