A significant legal battle has been ignited as a proactive citizen activist, Qaneez Sukhrani, takes on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court. The PIL, filed on August 8, aims to ensure the enforcement of pedestrians' rights and the implementation of Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines concerning footpaths in Pune. This move comes as a response to the dire state of footpaths and the apparent neglect of pedestrians' safety within the city.
Pedestrians in Pune have been grappling with serious challenges arising from poorly constructed or broken footpaths, the absence of footpaths in certain areas, and widespread encroachment by vendors, hawkers, food stalls, beggars, homeless individuals, debris, pipes, hanging cables, electrical boxes, and various other obstructions. The petitioner argues that PMC has failed to provide safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians, thereby compromising their rights and putting their safety at risk.
The PIL draws attention to the severe neglect of Pune's infrastructure, particularly the poorly maintained and encroached footpaths. In several instances, footpaths have been dug up in an unplanned manner and left uneven, rendering them unusable. Even locations earmarked for the metro rail project by MahaMetro Pune have seen complete footpath occupation for constructing exit/entry staircases. Additionally, the absence of essential pedestrian infrastructure like zebra crossings, ramps for accessibility, and well-illuminated pathways further exacerbates the challenges faced by pedestrians.
Encroachment On Footpaths
One of the significant grievances highlighted in the PIL is the continuous encroachment on footpaths by various unauthorized entities. These encroachments make the movement of pedestrians hazardous and force them to share road space with vehicles, thereby increasing the risk of accidents. Reliable photographs have been annexed to the PIL to visually depict the deteriorating condition of footpaths across Pune.
Advocate Megha Maske, who conducted comprehensive research on the subject, has highlighted the Pune Municipal Corporation's apparent disregard for footpaths, which has endangered pedestrians' lives.
The PIL identifies key areas such as Nagar Road, Aundh Road, Karve Road, Satara Road, Baner Road, Swargate, Pashan Road, Koregaon Park Roads, Fergusson College Road, and Balewadi High Street, where footpaths are routinely encroached upon by vendors, hawkers, beggars, and even unauthorized vehicles. Unplanned digging, often left uncovered, further obstructs pedestrian movement and forces them onto the streets.
Qaneez Sukhrani, the petitioner, emphasized the necessity of filing this PIL to secure pedestrians' rights, given the alarming contrast between PMC's rapid development of new areas and the lack of essential services in and around Pune City. She cited a significant accumulation of evidence, including RTI applications, communications, media articles, GPS-based photographs, and norm documentation, as motivation for pursuing legal action.
Advocate Satya Muley underscored the responsibilities of the PMC and Town Planning Department to develop the necessary infrastructure, including footpaths, subways, foot overbridges, and zebra crossings, in compliance with constitutional mandates. Despite adopting the Urban Street Design Guidelines (USDG) in 2016, the PMC has yet to implement them, contributing to the citizens' plight.
