Starting Monday, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) will launch a special drive to “reclaim footpaths” and enhance pedestrian movement across the city.
Each of the 48 traffic police stations will focus on a footpath within their jurisdiction every day, clearing it of illegally parked vehicles and debris.
M N Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), stated that this drive is part of the ongoing #ReclaimFootpaths campaign, which will now be carried out simultaneously with other campaigns.
"The focus is on footpaths along the main and arterial roads in each station’s jurisdiction. We want to clear footpaths of illegally parked vehicles in this campaign so that pedestrians can use the footpaths freely,” he said.
The traffic police will notify municipal authorities if the footpaths require improvement or infrastructural changes, Anucheth added.
Pedestrians are one of the most vulnerable groups of road users, susceptible to accidents and fatalities.
Fatal numbers
In 2022, the city witnessed 248 pedestrian fatalities and 819 pedestrian injuries due to a combination of vehicles riding and parking on footpaths, along with infrastructural issues. These factors force pedestrians to walk on roads, putting their safety at risk.