Bengaluru to see 'Safe Footpath Campaign' from July 1: 'They belong to people'

Bengaluru, Jun 24 (PTI) A city-wide 'Safe Footpath Campaign' will be launched to clear encroachments on footpaths along 2,000 km of priority roads in Bengaluru from July 1, Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Wednesday.

Shop owners who have encroached upon footpaths would be given time until July 1 to voluntarily remove structures, goods, signboards, and other obstructions, failing which civic authorities would undertake demolition drives and impose hefty penalties, he said.

"Walking on footpaths is a fundamental right," Gowda told reporters after a review meeting with senior civic officials.

Citing Supreme Court directions, Bengaluru Development Minister asserted that local bodies were responsible for ensuring safe and accessible pedestrian infrastructure.

"The Supreme Court has clearly stated that footpaths are for pedestrians, not vehicles. Therefore, any vehicle parked on a footpath will be towed away," he said.

The campaign will focus on arterial and sub-arterial roads identified as priority corridors, where authorities aim to remove obstacles to pedestrian movement and improve footpath conditions.

The minister said the city has around 13,000 to 14,000 km of roads, but the immediate focus would be on ensuring safe pedestrian access along 2,000 km of major roads.

"I am not claiming that we will cover all 14,000 kilometres of roads. Our target is only 2,000 kilometres of priority roads," he said.

Appealing to traders to cooperate, Gowda said footpaths belonged to Bengaluru's residents and not to commercial establishments.

"Footpaths are not your property. They belong to Bengaluru's 15 million residents. Footpaths are not even government property. They belong to the people," he said.

The minister warned that vehicles parked on footpaths would be towed away in line with Supreme Court directions, and said authorities would not hesitate to enforce the rules despite possible public criticism.

Gowda also announced action against abandoned vehicles.

Notice stickers will be placed on unattended vehicles from July 1, and owners will be given time until July 10 to remove them. Vehicles left behind after the deadline will be towed and auctioned as scrap.

To complement enforcement measures, the government has earmarked Rs 70 crore for repairs and restoration of existing footpaths across the city.

The funds will be used to rectify damaged slabs, uneven surfaces, and other deficiencies on at least 2,000 km of footpaths.

Pushcart vendors will not be allowed to operate on footpaths and priority roads, including arterial and sub-arterial corridors, though they may continue their business in other permitted areas, the minister said.

On road maintenance, Gowda said authorities had been directed to adopt scientific pothole repairs through the box-cutting method and gradually shift to machine-based operations.

"Roads must be cut in a box shape, filled with jelly aggregate, surfaced with tar, and finished level with the road surface. Simply pouring tar into potholes is unacceptable," he said.

Around Rs 77 crore will be spent on pothole-filling works, with priority given to traffic junctions, signals, and major intersections.

The minister suggested that buses and other vehicles should not be allowed to stop within 75 metres of traffic signals, and called for the removal of unnecessary speed breakers near signalised junctions to improve traffic flow. PTI

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