Looking at the state of our footpaths in Goa, it hardly appears that the departments concerned has taken cognisance of pedestrians and know of their existence. Except for the Smart City roads in Panjim which are few and far between, there are essentially no uniform, unilevel, decent, usable, well connected, pedestrian-friendly footpaths all over Goa.
Smart City footpaths, it may be presumed, come at a very high price especially when the tender is given to some outside party. And it appears the PWD or any other department do not have the potential to create good footpaths.
That city or town roads should come with pedestrian-friendly footpaths is one of the basic requirements of good urban infrastructure. Then why is it so difficult to find such footpaths even in the capital city of Panjim and the major towns of Margao, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa?
One of the better footpaths is from Panjim Church via Kamat Hotel, upto old Education Department. However there are no ramps everywhere to connect from the footpath to the road to facilitate the movement of wheel-chairs and the movement of senior citizens. Secondly, the width of the footpaths is not uniform. Third, although there are gutters, there are no drain covers so that pedestrians do not fall in, especially at night or when the drains are flooded during rains.
The opposite footpath which runs from the old Telecom Office, opposite Farmacia Salcete, is an obstacle course. Telecom department junction boxes are installed on the footpath which itself is in bad shape. Further down, near the Urban Health Centre there are more obstacles including a motorcycle ambulance which is parked on the footpath.
Fourth, the footpaths are not of uniform level since there is no Corporation of the City of Panjim or the Town and Country Planning building code to make the building foundation of uniform height, since some footpaths run through buildings, or raised footpaths created by private builders.
Some footpaths are perennially dirty, especially the footpath surrounding the Government Primary School near Cine National where there is a danger that pedestrians can slip and fall during monsoon.
The situation in other parts of the capital city of Goa is even worse; forget about the major or smaller towns in Goa, where at some places there are no footpaths and people have to walk onto to road for large stretches, inviting danger of being run over by vehicles.
There are other places surrounding Panjim where mud is piled up where there should have been a footpath or there are puddles of water, drain covers, stones, and other construction debris piled up as in St Inez.
It is high time that the Govt of Goa, the TCP, the PWD, CCP and the traffic police all sit together and plan pedestrian footpaths.
First there should be planning and design, where there should be clear objectives whether the footpath is for commuting, exercise or leisure. There is need to decide who will be the users including pedestrians with disabilities, elderly individuals, parents with strollers, and joggers. The footpath should also be of uniform width and height. The design of the footpath also should have connectivity such that it connects bus stand, schools, parks, market, shopping areas and residential zones.
There should be proper lighting for proper visibility during day and night with cat eyes if needed. The footpaths, especially in the towns and city, should have shelters to protect from harsh wealth or shading through trees or a place to sit incase pedestrians are tired.
There should also be curb cuts and ramps for easy access by individuals with mobility challenges.
Most importantly, the CCP Commissioner and the Disabilities Commissioner should have compliance standards for footpaths making them accessible for wheelchair users and people with disabilities. The footpath surface should be smooth and at the same time not slippery.
Safety should be of primary concern. The footpaths should be higher than the road surface so that vehicles do not stray onto the footpaths for parking or while driving. There should be barriers or buffer zones. Another important requirement is marked crosswalks and clear signages and pedestrian signals.
There can be some greenery introduced to incorporate trees, shrubs and plants along footpaths to enhance the aesthetic appeal and provide shade. Waste bins should also be included as part of footpath infrastructure to keep the area clean.
Lastly, there should be regular inspection, repair and maintenance of damage, wear and tear, cracks, misplaced bricks, etc, to make our city and towns pedestrian-friendly.
