Once meant exclusively for pedestrians, Bengaluru’s footpaths have now turned into battlegrounds where pedestrians have to fight with motorists for their right to occupy. The city’s streets, already congested, have pushed an increasing number of two-wheeler riders onto pavements, creating chaos and endangering pedestrians. What was once an occasional issue has now become a constant menace, with footpath riding turning into an almost accepted norm in several areas. Despite traffic regulations and crackdowns, the lack of enforcement and worsening road conditions have led to an alarming rise in this practice, say many pedestrians.
Speaking to The Hindu, a cross-section of pedestrians and street vendors in Bengaluru voiced concerns over the increasing menace of two-wheeler riders encroaching upon footpaths. Suhasini R., a college student from Jayanagar, said that she had a near-death experience a couple of months ago because of a rider.
“I was walking to my regular bus stop from college, texting my friend on my mobile phone when a biker got onto the pavement. I barely managed to step aside in time. If I had not looked up, I would have been knocked down. It’s terrifying how normal this has become. The worst part was that the biker looked at me like I was in his way, and it was my mistake,” she recalled.
The situation is far worse for senior citizens, who may not be as agile and duck the bikes coming at them. Sunil Kumar, a senior citizen from Rajrajeshwarinagar said, “I use a walking stick, and my pace is slow. These bikers do not care. I have had near-misses so many times that I have now lost count. Once a rider went so fast past me that I lost my balance. If my son had not been with me that day, I would have fallen. The footpath is meant for people like me, not for impatient riders who can not wait in traffic. It is high time the traffic police bring in strict rules regarding this.”
Many say that this menace has put them off the habit of walking. “After a long day at work, I prefer to walk home. But footpaths are no longer safe. Riders honk at me, expecting me to move aside for them. Once, I even confronted one rider, and he just shrugged and said, ‘There’s no space on the road.’ So, do pedestrians not deserve space either?” asked Neha D., an resident of Indiranagar.
Data from the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) said that 15,174 cases of riding on footpaths were reported in 2024, marking a sharp increase from 9,547 cases recorded in 2023.
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File Photo
Street vendors too say that their life is at risk due to pavement riders. Raju, a fruit vendor near Gandhi Bazar. said he constantly fears for his life, “I have been selling fruits at this spot for over 10 years. Earlier, I only had to worry about police and the occasional Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) official with their changing rules and more. Now, I constantly fear for my stall and myself. These bikers ride so close that they sometimes knock over my crates. Last month, a speeding two-wheeler hit my basket of fruits and did not even stop to apologise. Customers avoid coming to our stalls because of the traffic on the road and now riders on the foothpath as well. Who will pay for my loss?“ he asked.
Meenakshi, a flower seller in the same area, explained that every morning, she sets up a small stall on the pavement. But these days, she spends more time escaping bikes than arranging flowers and selling them. “This is mostly in the morning when they are all rushing to work. Sometimes, riders nearly crash into my stool. One day, a young man almost ran over my foot. I shouted at him, but he just rode away laughing. It is not just about losing customers, it is about our safety too.”
Prof. M.N. Sreehari said that Bengaluru being an old city has many narrow and poor-quality roads, forcing riders to shift to the pavement, besides some behavioural issues.
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FILE PHOTO
What data shows
Data from the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) said that 15,174 cases of riding on footpaths were reported in 2024, marking a sharp increase from 9,547 cases recorded in 2023. The penalties collected for these violations were ₹39,94,600. In order to control two-wheeler riders riding on pavements, the BTP in February this year announced that offenders caught driving on footpaths would face suspension of their driver’s license. However, not much change is seen in rider’s behaviour said many pedestrians.
In January and February this year, the BTP has fined 3,453 violators for riding on pavements with an average of 57 violations per day.
Asked if bad road infrastructure was one of the reasons for motorists to ride on pavements despite enforcement, M.N. Anucheth, Joint Commissioner (Traffic), said, “I do not think bad road infrastructure is forcing two-wheeler users to ride on footpaths. It is basically done to cut the line and get ahead, probably to save time and reach one’s destination faster.“
He said BTP was trying to control riders from riding on pavements in multiple ways. “One is through strict enforcement. Other is engineering, wherein bollards are used to prevent vehicles from entering the footpath. This is being done in a phased manner by BBMP on all important roads,” he said.
Traffic and infrastructure expert Prof. M.N. Sreehari said that Bengaluru being an old city has many narrow and poor-quality roads, forcing riders to shift to the pavement, besides some behavioural issues.
“In our country there is a common tendency to ignore rules, with some even taking pride in breaking them. Many riders feel a sense of achievement when they violate multiple red lights or flee the scene after causing an accident. Similarly, young drivers find more pleasure riding on footpaths. Also, in India we do not give much importance to road infrastructure. Provisions made in the State budget for traffic management or road infrastructure is also very less. It is disappointing to see that the State is also neglecting this. With increasing traffic, the focus of civic bodies is to only widen the roads, which is again taking away the little footpath space we have,” he said. The professor said that poor discipline and lack of maintenance compromise pedestrian safety.
How footpaths should be
Sreehari explained that, according to Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines, footpaths must meet specific width requirements based on the surrounding area. In residential areas, footpaths should be 3.3 meters wide, including a 0.5-meter frontage zone, a 1.8-meter pedestrian zone, and a 1-meter furniture zone. For commercial areas, the minimum width is 5 meters, while high-intensity commercial zones require 6.5 meters.
He said that the IRC also mandates that the kerb height above the carriageway should not exceed 150 milimeters and that footpaths must have a flat surface to ensure proper drainage and prevent water accumulation. “The guidelines emphasises inclusive pedestrian facilities, considering the needs of people with disabilities,” he explained, adding that these norms are seen more often in breach.
Published – March 21, 2025 09:00 am IST
