Pune footpaths should stay clean and clear for safe walking every day

The Bombay High Court has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation to take immediate and definitive steps to clear city footpaths of all obstructions, including power utility fuse boxes, unauthorised vendors, debris, and encroachments.

The court stated unequivocally that pedestrian safety, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, cannot be sacrificed at the altar of bureaucratic convenience or corporate utility. The directive came in response to a public interest litigation highlighting the chronic neglect of pedestrian rights in Pune. The court pulled up the civic body for its long-standing tolerance of Maharashtra’s state-run power utility installing fuse boxes on public walkways—a practice that has persisted for nearly three decades. While the corporation defended the arrangement as a means to ensure smooth power supply and easy maintenance, the bench dismissed this justification, asserting that basic rights to walkable, accessible public spaces cannot be compromised for operational ease. In its remarks, the bench emphasised that the designated footpath areas must be preserved as public rights-of-way, free from any kind of physical or visual obstruction.

The case also spotlighted the broader malaise afflicting Pune’s pedestrian infrastructure. Across several neighbourhoods, footpaths are either broken, illegally occupied by hawkers and food stalls, or altogether absent. Homeless encampments, unauthorised parking, and piles of construction debris further reduce pedestrian mobility, especially in older or congested localities. The High Court criticised the civic body’s lax enforcement and called for a structural overhaul in how pedestrian rights are prioritised in the city’s planning narrative. The bench did not stop at criticism alone. It instructed the civic body to establish a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism for pedestrians, including a helpline number and responsible officials tasked with attending to complaints. Furthermore, ward-level assistant commissioners were directed to submit regular compliance reports and enforce actions against encroachments in accordance with Supreme Court judgments and prevailing urban vendor protection laws. While the civic body presented an affidavit detailing existing measures like anti-hawker drives, updated footpath guidelines, and a new parking policy, the court reminded them that intent alone does not absolve the duty of execution.

The court’s intervention places public interest and human dignity at the centre of urban policy. It marks a pivotal moment for pedestrian rights in India’s rapidly urbanising cities, where footpaths are often the last priority in the built environment. If Pune’s civic body executes this order in letter and spirit, it could serve as a blueprint for other Indian cities grappling with similar conflicts between utility infrastructure, street vending, and public right of way. While the directive sets a new precedent, it also leaves the onus on city officials to demonstrate that inclusive, pedestrian-first planning is not just aspirational policy, but an achievable civic standard.

Pune footpaths should stay clean and clear for safe walking every day