Drive to clear space for pedestrians from Apr 1
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Traffic Police will start a month-long anti-encroachment drive to clear walkways of obstructions, to facilitate uninterrupted pedestrian spaces.
The Delhi Traffic Police will start the drive from April 1, along with the Public Works Department (PWD) and local municipal bodies.
“We often see that in Delhi, pedestrian ways are obstructed by a billboard, a pole, makeshift benches, or slums that are built on walkways. The pedestrian infrastructure needs to be cleared for people to make the roads safer for them,” said a senior traffic official.
The department has asked for a list of pedestrian spaces from the PWD, which experiences heavy encroachment. Every week these zones will be targeted and encroachers will be removed, any unauthorised setup will be uprooted, and the space will be cleared to make it more walkable.
“We will be the implementing agency. The primary identification work needs to be done by the PWD and the municipalities,” the official said.
The first leg of the drive will start from south Delhi’s Greater Kailash-i, and every week localities will be targeted based on the pedestrian traffic witnessed there.
An estimate presented by the traffic unit of the Delhi Police last year showed that 70% of the total road accident victims in the city comprised pedestrians and cyclists. A primary reason behind this high share is the lack of safe infrastructure.
“Pedestrians are the most vulnerable lot on Delhi’s roads. The motorists feel that the roads are their space and care little for pedestrians. People feel, bigger the vehicle, greater their right to be on the road. That attitude needs to change,” said joint commissioner of police (traffic) Garima Bhatnagar.
Officials said this drive would only yield results if the municipal authorities ensure that these spaces are maintained.