Footpaths at many places along the Mahatma Gandhi Road in Vijayawada are found to be exceeding the height limit set by the Indian Road Congress (IRC), causing much discomfort to pedestrians.
According to the IRC guidelines, the height of the footpath should be 150 mm (5.9 inches) from the road to ensure comfortable access to all pedestrians, especially the elderly and children, and prevent illegal parking by not allowing vehicles to mount over the footpath. The guidelines also say that anti-skid material has to be used on the surface of the footpath to ensure safety in all weather conditions.
“I have never seen anyone using the footpath. It is difficult even for a tall person to use it. People always walk on the roads, making it difficult for vehicle users to navigate the already narrow and crowded road”Autorickshaw driver in Vijayawada
However, the footpath near the K.L. Rao statue near the old bus stand in the city was found to measure 25 inches. “I have never seen anyone using the footpath. It is difficult even for a tall person to use it. People always walk on the roads, making it difficult for vehicle users to navigate the already narrow and crowded road,” said an auto driver.
The same footpath, which discontinues in between, measures around 17.5 inches near the District Collectorate bus stop and 20.8 inches near the Trendset Mall at Benz Circle. Some showrooms have placed a small two-step metal stand outside for the comfort of their customers.
Meanwhile, at places where the footpaths meet the standards set by IRC, vendors occupy the space illegally.
A.P. Senior Citizens’ Welfare Association associate president Mothukuri Venkateswara Rao, who is a frequent user of city buses, said, “The flooring of the footpaths, laid recently by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, is compounding the problem. The granite flooring becomes slippery when it rains, and it has become difficult for elderly persons to walk on it. We do not have safe walking spaces on the main roads in the city.” He added how the discontinuity in the footpath along the M.G. Road is causing a problem to pedestrians.
Officials from the corporation were unavailable for a comment.
