All’s not on track in the city

[Vijay Patil]

All’s not on track in the city

NGO finds increasing parents don’t let kids cycle to school due to poorly maintained cycling facilities

http://www.punemirror.in/article/2/20130516201305161041183872b25b6b7/All%E2%80%99s-not-on-track-in-the-city.html

“We deal with cases where vehicles are parked on cycle tracks illegally and take action against them. These tracks should be dedicated and continuous, but that is not the case. It is PMC’s responsibility to ensure that the tracks are properly maintained,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Vishwas Pandhare.

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In a democracy, everyone is equal before a law/rule/standards. If I break a law (for example in Motor vehicle Act) or traffic rule then I get punished (rightly so)? So now who punishes PMC for NOT maintaining the cycle tracks per "rules/standards" ? Is PMC above law and these checks and balances? How is this fair to thousands of other law abiding / tax paying citizens?

Seriously, is there any law that ensures that municipal corporation cannot get away easily with the shoddy construction of roads/cycle tracks? You can find out how many fatal accidents happen due to "Bad Road Engineering" from traffic police, it is significant number.

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Vijay

[Ranjit Gadgil]

Thanks for sharing.

I agree with your sentiments. The death of the little girl who was hit by a bus would never have happened if there were good footpaths. Same about the senior citizen who fell into a ditch.

Without any culpability, public officials will continue to behave in an apathetic manner.

Often mass protests or judicial action are the only recourse. Both are not easy.

-- Ranjit

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[Abhijit Athavale]

Ranjit,

We should push for good footpaths with the following attributes targeting major arterial roads first, followed by other connecting roads.

1. Sufficient width for the density of population in that area. Width should be adjusted to compensate for trees or other natural obstructions

2. Even height

3. No encroachments

4. Consistent walking surface - no ups and downs, drain covers, broken tiles or building ramps in the way

5. Bollards to prevent motorized two wheelers from getting on 

6. Proper storm water drains underneath the footpaths

7. Proper edging and ramps

If this reduces the road carriage width a bit, I think it's OK. If people stop walking on the roads, the traffic will have achieved a wider carriage way in any case. My suggestion is to choose a road for a pilot project and have the PMC prepare a DPR and then execute it under adult supervision.

BRTS/Metro, etc. are far beyond the capabilities of the PMC and we should push them not to engage in any such ambitious projects till they get the basics right.

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Best Regards,
Abhijit Athavale

LinkedIn: http://in.linkedin.com/in/abhijitathavale

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[Ranjit Gadgil]

I agree Abhijit, these are what one might consider obvious steps for the PMC to take.

We have been making these suggestions for a long time, to no avail. There is just no political or administrative will.

Do see this comprehensive assessment Parisar did a while ago.

http://www.parisar.org/activities/analysesreports/144-cycle-track-assessment.html

-- Ranjit

[Anil Risbud]

Possible actions, to try and improve our effectiveness as a group of well-meaning and knowledgeable people:-

1. Can we harness the power of the press - e.g. get Sakal to do a damning series on footpaths in pune, highlighting the deaths.

2. Can we convince the Aam Admi party (and any party that cares) to add this issue to their election manifesto.

3. make PMC revise (if necessary) the manual for footpath definitions. Probably they already have (JNNURM?). The footpaths in the 100 ft DP road near Kumar Parisar area in Kothrud are 90% ideal. Unfortunately, the road goes nowhere - that road is shown in the new DP draft, as extending *across* the Mahata Society hill to join Karve Road !!

If an idea footpath exists in the manual, make PMC apply it to existing roads.

4. Take up an exercise in (SPTM style) in mapping bad footpaths in Pune. Publish the locations on a website.

5. Ask "Pedestrians First" what steps did not work in the past and why (maybe they tried some of the above, in addition to making suggestions to PMC?).

6. (this one in exasperation and not in jest - if all the existing NGOs feel they can't change things):- Establish an NGO: "Footpaths First" !!

Suggestions welcome.

Also, are things as bad as they look? Aren't there any positive responses that any of the NGOs have ever got, from PMC officials in *any* department???

Anil