Pedestrians edged out

Cows and dogs are loitering Kochi’s streets in increasing numbers, posing danger to pedestrians, motorists and local residents. A scene from A.L. Jacob Road near the KSRTC bus stand. (Source: H. VIBHU)

A stroll around the Greater Kochi area will give the impression that roads and allied infra are chiefly for automobiles, with little consideration for pedestrians. Still worse is the situation of the differently abled.  

Initiatives by agencies such as Cochin Smart Mission Ltd. (CSML) to provide pedestrians their rightful due through a network of standardised footpaths have been limited to a handful of roads in the city hub. Even these newly developed footpaths have been occupied by vendors and other encroachers. The police and civic agencies have not been able to do much to evict them, despite directives by the High Court of Kerala.