Ensuring smooth walking for pedestrians

Around two-fifths of the daily commuters in Dhaka walk to reach their destinations, whereas the ratio was one-fifth two decades ago. The data are impressive, no doubt, especially since the city is not particularly conducive to smooth walking. There is a lack of safe, accessible and efficient infrastructure to support walking. That is why walking in the city is somewhat hazardous. It is, thus, misleading to interpret the high ratio of walking in Dhaka as a reflection of a favourable environment for this. The truth is, many city people are forced to take hazardous walks mainly due to unbearable traffic congestion.

The barriers to a smooth and efficient walk in the city are well known and the measures to overcome them are clearly inadequate. In Dhaka, most footpaths are not for pedestrians but for makeshift vendors, parking motorcycles and sometimes private cars. They are also open abode for some drug abusers. In some places, footpaths are found broken and unusable. Open urination on footpaths and roadsides is also a common thing nowadays. All these factors force pedestrians to walk on streets and roads knowing that sharing roads with fast moving vehicles is against the law and also dangerous. The need for improving the infrastructure is urgent, so that footpaths remain free for walking.

The absence of an efficient public transportation system is a major problem in Dhaka. But it can be overcome. Imagine if there were decent and efficient public buses in the city. Commuters would find it comfortable to travel by bus instead of taking para-transit, such as rickshaws, CNG-run three-wheelers, and motorcycles. This would lead to a gradual decrease in the demand for para-transit, and more commuters would choose to walk to reach bus stops from various distances. Those who live closer to offices might also prefer to walk. Even students could walk to schools and colleges, with the roads and streets largely free from makeshift vendors and various para-transits.

It is well known that walking is beneficial for one's health; however, the city does not provide any support in this regard. Some people have the habit of taking a morning walk in nearby parks or open spaces. However, not all city residents are fortunate to make this simple and low-impact exercise. One good option to take a walk is to cover a certain distance on foot to reach offices, which is not often practised due to a lack of required conditions, such as barrier-free footpaths and clean streets. The poor walking conditions not only discourage walking but also pose a significant threat to public health, as the lack of physical activity contributes to various health issues.

Walking also helps socialisation. When people walk together regularly, they gradually come closer and develop a sense of social bonding. It is most visible among the students as they walk to and from school, a time spent together when they indulge in talking and fooling around. This social aspect of walking is not just a by-product, but a vital element of urban life that residents need to strive to preserve and enhance.

Walking is a fundamental aspect of mobility, and without sufficient space for smooth walking, mobility cannot be efficient or productive. Every day, millions of people in Dhaka lose valuable working hours due to inefficient mobility, stemming from inadequate public transport and inaccessible walking paths. In other words, walking on foot and movement through transport are complementary. Finally, walking helps to contain the environmental pollution in the long-run by reducing the demand for motorised vehicles to some extent.

asjadulk@gmail.com