Well-maintained green patches, seats at intervals increase walkability quotient
But then, one might ask, what does greenery have to do with walkability.
CHIEF MINISTER’S OFFICE
THE CONNECTION
A study conducted by the Delhi Traffic Police in 2016 revealed that road accidents in the New Delhi area — which has massive green coverage and continuous walking facilities for pedestrians — was at least 40 per cent lower than the rest of the city. It also showed that pedestrian deaths in accidents in this area were almost 85 per cent lower.
The connection between green coverage and road accidents was first established by the government of Mexico City in 2015, which assessed some of the busiest and the most accident-prone stretches, for over a decade and increased the green coverage there. After the project was completed, it was seen that not only were accidents on the stretch controlled but also that incidents of road rage among drivers had gone down.
In a statement released to the local media, the Mexico City government had said the green cover “had acted as a stress buster for drivers” who were otherwise more aggressive on roads. This, they said, became a boon for pedestrians, who had also found the newly developed area more accessible.
“Greenery along sideways and footpaths not just provides shade and increases your convenience while walking, it also soothes your senses and keeps you happy and calm. The moment you start walking with your senses feeling the surrounding, it slows you down and acts as a recreation for you. The hedges along edges of footpaths keep you from getting down on the roads, thereby bringing down the chances of accidents,” said KT Ravindran, urban designer and former chair- person of Delhi Urban Art Commission.
CURBING POLLUTION
There are umpteen studies that have revealed how greenery along roads and footpaths could help bring down pollution. A latest study by researchers from the University of Surrey has shown that hedges can bring down vehicular pollution by more than 60 per cent.
In 2009, the Indian Road Congress (IRC) had laid down certain guidelines and objectives that need to be followed while selecting plants. “The objectives while selecting a plant species — as laid down in the IRC — are to reduce air and dust pollution, arrest soil erosion, mitigate extreme climatic conditions, reduce noise pollution, among others. But these are hardly followed in plantation drives,” RNS Tyagi, former horticulture director of Central Public Works Department, said.
Experts said a mix-and-match of big canopy trees and hedges are ideal for footpaths. It, in fact, make roads more walkable.
“Just like we need woods and greenery, we also need open spaces. Both are important for us. And for this, we need a proper plan. We can’t just go on planting trees just for the sake of greenery,” author and conservationist, Pradip Krishen, said.
MOVING AHEAD
So how exactly do we go ahead? Experts said that to integrate greenery with roads so that they could become more walkable should be the primary objective among planners right from the initial stages. “A major criterion while making a city or its roads walkable is to see that the walkbale streets do not end abruptly. They should have some continuity and end in open spaces such as a park,” said Ravindran.
Planners also said the more interactive a footpath — with lots of greenery instead of a mundane looking road with ‘dead’ walls — the more it will increase walkability. “If a road has greenery, shops and eateries, which a pedestrian can see, walkabilty increases. A dull road with walls blocking your sight reduces the walkability,” Ravindran said.
But just planting trees and hedges won’t help. Experts said in an attempt to make roads and footpaths more walkable, greenery should be maintained round the year. Else, these green stretches could become shady dark places and become unsafe.
“Whenever we think of widening a road, the first thing we see is trees being chopped off. When footpaths are retrofitted, bases of trees are all concretised despite a National Green Tribunal ruling against such practices. Residents should be involved so that greeneries could be maintained,” said Kanchi Kohli, legal researcher at Centre for Policy Research.