Cities » Chennai

Published: May 4, 2012 01:22 IST | Updated: May 22, 2012 10:32 IST

Walkers will have their way

Raj Cherubal

Importantly, the various planning agencies appear to have arrived at a consensus — pedestrian safety is paramount

Mention footpath and our cup of collective cynicism runneth over. Yet Corporation of Chennai (CoC) seemsdetermined to prove us wrong. CoC has identified 60 bus route roads in the city and around 170 km in the newly-added areas to upgrade street facilities to world class standards.

Sceptical? Anecdotally, 80 per cent of our footpaths have no real encroachments. They are just badly designed andmaintained and can be set right. 10 per cent have obstacles that can be removed and the rest have seriousencroachments. Is 90 per cent a good start?

Usable footpath is a complex system and there is nothing pedestrian about it. Material selection, height, changingwidth depending on pedestrian demand, placement of trees, toilets and furniture, accommodating vending, parkingand public activities, not to mention “sacrificing” carriageway are serious issues. Interagency matters like shifting ofutilities, removing pavement temples, mosques and churches, and private gardens can seem politically hopeless.

Luckily a lot of preparations have been going on for some time. Organisations like ITDP and Chennai City Connecthave developed standards, templates and concepts for various types of streets. Agencies like Chennai City TrafficPolice (CCTP) have been experimenting with better utilization of available carriageway. According to CMDA, 40 percent of our roads are under-utilised or misused. CCTP followed parking standards to mark slots on crowded roads,identified ordered parking spaces and improved traffic flow. CoC and TNEB shifted electricity boxes from a fewfootpaths to private properties, freeing up space for pedestrians. CoC has prototyped modern ducts and grilles toreplace tiny pipes that clog easily.

Importantly, the various planning agencies appear to have arrived at a consensus — pedestrian safety is paramountand Chennai streets should provide a much better quality of life to its citizens. One can sense political determinationand a can-do attitude among officials and engineers. Let the city quickly capitalise on that.

CoC has selected 11 roads where experts from Chennai Architecture Foundation are helping with physical surveys,documenting conditions and design of facilities. CoC is also challenging wasted space under flyovers and attemptingto improve public space for public good, safe crossings at junctions while improving traffic flow and so on. CoC iscreating sample footpaths with various materials to facilitate decisions, caution potential bidders and trainimplementers. Training workshops for CoC officials has begun. Preferably, citizen activists could pitch in to helpmonitor details and quality of construction.

When it comes to maintenance, CoC should think outside the box. Like in London, can experienced agencies help CoCmonitor and maintain upgraded streets? Like in New Delhi, can aesthetic design and public campaigns create moreawareness about the much neglected issue of public toilet maintenance?

Chennai is a big city. Help from NGOs and volunteers can only go so far. In order to scale up operations, CoCannounced empanelling of architects for road design in its last budget. Once features are tested and standardized, andimportantly, the city gains confidence and optimism, design and implementation can be focused upon.

Finally, a personal wish. Once CoC completes upgrading a street, both the abled and differently abled must conductperiodic wheelchair tests — ride a wheelchair from end-to-end and certify that the footpath is functional andacceptable as per world class standards. Here too, hopefully, like in the city's quest for delightful pedestrian facilities,the Mayor and city officials will show the way.

Raj Cherubal is Director (Projects), Chennai City Connect. Views expressed are his own.

Keywords: pedestrian safety, walkers, Chennai Corporation

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