India is a nation of walkers – but its cities forgot them
India's Supreme Court has ruled that the right to walk safely on footpaths is a fundamental right, following a case brought after a five-year-old boy was killed by a truck while walking to school. The ruling highlights how deeply India's cities have neglected pedestrians despite walking being the dominant mode of urban transport, with the judgment arriving after decades of worsening conditions rather than as a novel intervention.
Around 45 million Indians walk to work daily, far outnumbering the 5.4 million who commute by private car, and a 2019 survey found 63% of all journeys in selected cities were made on foot. Yet pavements are routinely broken, blocked by vehicles, hawkers or construction, or simply absent, with a walkability study giving cities a median score of just 47 out of 100. Pedestrians account for roughly a fifth of official road deaths, though independent estimates put the true figure at 30-40%, and in Delhi and Mumbai they make up more than half of all road fatalities, with crashes costing India an estimated 3-5% of GDP annually.
In short
- Supreme Court declares safe walking on footpaths a fundamental right
- 45 million Indians walk to work daily, yet pavements are neglected
- Pedestrians suffer disproportionately in road deaths and injuries
Explained simply
Walking is a major way people get around Indian cities. Millions of people walk to work, and walking makes up a large share of journeys, while far fewer people commute by private car.
City footpaths are often broken, blocked by vehicles, street stalls or building work, and some roads have none. This can force people to walk in traffic, where they face a greater risk of being hit by vehicles.
The Supreme Court is India’s highest court. Its ruling followed a case brought after a five-year-old boy was killed by a truck while walking to school, and comes amid concerns about the number of pedestrians killed on Indian roads.