Restoring Pedestrian Accessibility in Indian Cities

Traffic fatalities in India have considerably increased from 15,000 in 1971 to 93,000 in 2004. Unless changes in transport policies and practices change, the country may face even more increasing road accidents in the coming years.

At present, India’s transport policy is focused on building more roads. This exacerbates transport issues since more roads encourage more vehicles, and less pedestrian-friendly spaces. It also negatively affects the environment since more vehicles mean more emissions and energy consumption.

Thus, a sustainable and integrated approach to comprehensively address the issues besetting India’s transport sector is highly recommended. The Asian Development Bank recommends that India’s transport policy must start with pedestrian accessibility, instead of focusing on road construction. Transport policies should be refined to address different modes of transportation and their impacts, pricing of motor vehicle use, and land use–transport integration, with pedestrians and not roads as the focal point.

This approach is not easy, for it entails a range of connected actions that must be supported by effective coordination among different actors and stakeholders. However, a sustainable and integrated approach to urban transport is sorely needed in India. It will ensure quality mass transit, minimize environmental impacts, and cater to the needs of the majority of the people in India, who do not own motor vehicles, and prefer to walk or cycle, not drive.