Pune Although the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) vigorously celebrated Pedestrian Day on December 11, the city's sidewalk conditions are worrisome. Pedestrians were driven off the sidewalk due to occupation, fell due to poor road infrastructure, and were threatened by reckless drivers who said they had no space to walk.

Currently, within the limits of the Pune Municipal Corporation, there is a 750-kilometer sidewalk available, but PMC has no data on how many of them are actually used for “walking”.

On Sunday, the Hindustan Times visited Tilak Road, Bajirao Road, Bharati vidyapeeth Police Station, Katraj Dairy District, Sadshiv Pest, Laxmi Road, Sarabaug and Swargate to learn about sidewalks. The result-Pune's sidewalks have more vehicles and encroachment, and there is no space to walk.

PMC Road Department Executive Engineer Dinkar Gojare said: “The construction of sidewalks will be carried out in phases. For the pedestrian festival on December 11, we chose a total of 21 roads, and we have done a lot of work to make walking a very good one. Experience."

“The problems that people face on other roads will be resolved. We have notified PMC’s embezzlement department that they are conducting anti-appropriation activities on a regular basis. We will notify the relevant officials of the vehicles parked on the sidewalk,” Gojare added.

Harshad Abhyankar, Director of the Save Pune Transport Movement (SPTM), said: “Celebrating Pedestrian Day is a way to raise people’s awareness. Now PMC needs to speed up their work on pending projects, while taking special care to keep sidewalks free to walk.”

Ranjit Gadgil, Project Director of Parisar, said: “PMC needs to set up sidewalks on every route with heavy traffic. In some parts of the city, we have very good sidewalks, but in other parts of the city, pedestrians are suffering every day. Struggling, but the same quality has been overlooked."

Diplai Joshi, a resident of Gultekdi, said: “Since fishmongers occupy the sidewalks near Swargate, most people are walking on the road. This situation has been going on for several years. PMC should relocate these fishmongers so that they do not face a livelihood. The problem is that pedestrians will not risk walking on congested roads."

Amol Paranjape, a daily commuter on Ferguson University Road, said: “Unless PMC finds a permanent solution for hawkers, people will not be able to walk freely on this road. Jungli Maharaj Road is better managed than its neighbors.”

Title: Spelling Doom for Pedestrians

The main problem of urban sidewalks

Tilak Road: Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited bus parked

Bajirao Road: pipes and vehicles parked on the road

Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station: Parked vehicles

Katraj Dairy chowk: Maharashtra Electricity Commission and Transformer Box

Sadashivpeth: The grocery store has stalls and sacks

Get our daily news capsule

Get free newsletters, reminders and advice