Do metro cities have space for pedestrians? | In Focus podcast

What does it say about our cities when the Supreme Court has to remind governments that residents have a fundamental right to walk?

The Court’s recent judgment on footpaths has put a very basic question back on the table – who does the city actually produce space for, the pedestrian or the vehicle?

In cities like Bengaluru, the answer is visible on the street. While in several places there is barely a footpath to commence with, footpaths are taken over by parking, vendors, utility infrastructure and construction. But is “encroachment” really the problem, or have we never planned our streets around pedestrians in the first place?

So, what does the Supreme Court’s decision mean for metropolitan cities, and what would it take for Bengaluru and other metro cities to become a city where walking is treated as a right rather than an afterthought?

Guest: Pawan M, Executive Director at the World Resources Institute. This person has been advocating for safer, more accessible and people-centric street

Host: Rishita Khanna

Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Camera: Ravichandran N

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