Port Blair, Nov 11: Mr. C. Mohammad, President, UNNATI in his letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has stressed the need to give pedestrians the first priority in this era, where there is a rapid growth in the automobiles.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary recently, Mr. Mohammad added that there are lot of problems faced by Pedestrians due to rapid growth in automobile use in our territory particularly in Municipal Area. The number of registered vehicles has already crossed 85,000 which is causing a wide range of adverse impact and also increasing road accidents. As per one report Traffic related injuries already the ninth leading cause of deaths globally, are projected by the world Health Organisation to become, the fifth leading cause of death ahead of all cancers by 2030.
It is because pedestrians and cyclists, the most vulnerable road users, account for the bulk of road fatalities followed by motorized two-wheeler riders . While group such as young children, the elderly, the disabled, the urban poor often have no choice but to walk and are particularly disadvantaged because of the serious risk of being hurt or killed in accidents. The lack of pedestrian accessibility affects all, since everyone including vehicle usher is a pedestrian at some point. Therefore urgent planned action is necessary to safeguard the right of the pedestrians who are characterized by poverty generally not in a position to place their problem before the authorities in comparison with well off influential vehicle users.
Unless concerned authority initiate action in accordance with National Urban Transport Policy the existing infrastructure for pedestrians may also vanish for the convenience of vehicle users.
He further added that the National Urban Transport Policy announced in 2006 stresses the importance of putting people before motor vehicles and commits itself in prioritizing non-motorized transport.
Therefore, much is expected from under National Urban Transport Policy announced by Government of India to protect the interest of Pedestrians because users of their modes bear the burnt of fatalities and injuries. Already pedestrian environment here is so severely vitiated that walking , the most natural of human activities has become extremely unpleasant, if not a hazardous activity. This is because we have not only ignored the non-motorized modes but also actively discriminated. Footpaths where they do exist, are largely unusable, on account of poor design and maintenance, obstruction including electrical equipment uncollected garbage, parked vehicles (all-vacant space in Municipal area along road side earlier being used for walking converted for parking of vehicles as seen in front of SE Electricity office and many other places and also constructed fish market on footpath at Haddo) and encroachment by local businesses. Existing Foot Path are being lost due to road widening and dividing the road for the convenience of vehicle users as started above at the cost of pedestrians and to improve speeds of vehicle and ease congestion in short terms only because it leads to ever more vehicle activity and congestion and the need for even more roads.
He also added that there is no justification to create parking places for vehicle users everywhere in Municipal area ignoring the interest of the pedestrians and without proper land use such as tree planting, children park and other amenities for use by general public. As per Pedestrians term of license/permit vehicles are to park in the declared parking places instead of parking on road. It is unfortunate that prime land in Foreshore Road, Haddo were converted into parking places instead of creaking children park and other public amenities.
The Lt. Governor recently visited the area and the residents are hopeful that some positive action will come out after his visit.
“In this process the pedestrians accessibility is very much affected/ignored. When pedestrians accessibility need to become first priority in the enlightened urban transport policy. Walking shares, already high despite adverse circumstances, could be higher still. People tend to use their modes more as well as longer distances when quality of the pedestrians environment is improved “Build it and they will come” is true of pedestrians(cyclists) as it is of vehicle. Countries like Netherlands, which have significantly higher income and car ownership levels, provide first class pedestrians and bicycle facilities as a matter of enlightened Urban Transport policy, walking and cycling are considered to be retrograde in our territory where pedestrians are larger than vehicle users,” he said.
