Pedestrian rights in focus as city footpaths remain inaccessible

Many of the city’s footpaths are inaccessible because they are illegally occupied, damaged or blocked by unauthorized parking of vehicles.

The Supreme Court recently ruled that blocking access to sidewalks constitutes a violation of fundamental rights under the Right to Life and Freedom of Movement rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Atul S. Chandurkar recently held that the right to walk on demarcated footpaths is a primary right and should be prioritized over movements by motor vehicles.

A two-wheeler was parked on the footpath at SA Road on June 28. | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

The court said that wherever there are roads, there is a duty to provide well-maintained footpaths for pedestrians. This duty falls on urban development authorities, municipal corporations, municipalities and panchayats, which must make efforts to delimit, construct, maintain and protect footpaths and other necessary pedestrian infrastructure.

Missing concrete slab on the footpath in Vyttila on June 28. | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

Recently, the Kerala High Court ruled against the proposal to build 20 kiosks on the Queen Walk in Kochi, citing pedestrians’ right to unhindered access to the pavement.

P C Ajithkumar, general secretary of Ernakulam District Residents Associations Apex Council, stated that the footpaths in the city are not elderly-friendly and although there are tactile pavements for the visually impaired, they either hit a cable pole or the slabs become loose or slide to one side. Unauthorized parking on sidewalks is also a problem, he said.

State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities PT Baburaj said footpaths in the city must adhere to internationally accepted universal design principles to ensure they remain accessible to all, regardless of their abilities.

Kochi Corporation has initiated measures to make the city more walkable. The Center for Heritage, Environment and Development has undertaken the Walkable Kochi project to improve pedestrian infrastructure through a comprehensive study, an official said.

He said the initiative aims to improve safety, comfort and accessibility for pedestrians. The project surveyed 53 sections in Kochi and recommended measures to improve walkability, including strengthening public transport, developing pedestrian-friendly corridors such as Panampilly Nagar Walkway, Queen’s Walkway and Marine Drive Walkway, integrating heritage trails into the city’s cultural fabric and supporting citizen-led initiatives.