Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation is upgrading pedestrian infrastructure across three major stretches in the city, with renewed focus on safety and accessibility. The project covers a 7-km stretch from Hindon IAF roundabout to UP Gate, the stretch from Hapur Chungi to Diamond Flyover, and CISF Road to Kanawani Culvert. The revamp, to be taken up at a cost of Rs 10 crore, includes seating spaces with pergolas, green landscaping, light fixtures, jogging tracks and designated vending zones.On June 19, the Supreme Court ruled that walking on well-maintained, demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right. The ruling gives pedestrians priority over vehicles. GMC officials, however, said that a plan to develop these pathways was already in the works prior to the SC ruling.“As per the SC order, if local municipal authorities or govts fail to provide these pathways, citizens can move to court and are entitled to constitutional compensation for safety infringements. It is binding on us not only to develop pathways for pedestrians but also enforce it, and we have already taken steps in that direction,” said GMC chief engineer NK Choudhary.According to Choudhary, cemented barricades will be placed to bar vehicles from pedestrian pathways, which will be landscaped and evened. Walkways will get proper seating arrangements, pergolas, green landscaping with light fixtures, a jogging track, and an organised vendor zone under the plan.The stretches will also get parking facilities on roadsides and stormwater drains to prevent waterlogging. Underground electrical lines at these spots will be relocated so that no excavation work needs to be conducted here in the future.Lamenting the lack of civic sense among residents, Choudhary added, “The problem is that every motorist and biker want roads right up to their house and establishment. They have no qualms about damaging road medians, barricades and even green belts, and in that case the very idea of danger-free pedestrian pathway falls flat.”The city’s pavements are riddled with big gaps and are also uneven, leading to many instances where a pedestrian has lost their life or been severely injured. Choudhary said GMC is now taking up the work to remedy this and prevent such instances in the future.
