The concept of redesigning pedestrian spaces, with vehicle-restricted plazas and central squares, is gaining ground in the city. But a casual look around us reinforces that in most parts of Chennai, “pedestrian-facilities” are just that — pedestrian!

Outside many schools and colleges, students are forced to maneuver their way around vehicles, which fail to slow down even at crossings and intersections have turned into a death trap for pedestrians. Has pedestrianisation failed to materialise in our city streets?

Just a few minutes shy of 2 pm, a handful of MGR Janaki College students have to perform a risky task — cross the road to the other side, even as the vehicles speed past them, zig-zagging across the makeshift barricade on one side and the pedestrians on the other. The youngsters seek safety in numbers and cross the road in a flock. Vaishnavi, a second-year BA English student from Bengaluru, said that many students find this stretch scary to navigate. “It is difficult to cross the road despite the barricades and the pedestrian crossing,” she said.

This is not an isolated case. The scenario outside the Meenakshi College for Women in Kodambakkam is worse. The narrow road chokes up with a traffic pile-up when the college is over. Hoardes of students begin the walk to the other side, always in small groups. Sharmila R, a student, said, “Even when we are crossing in groups, the two-wheelers don’t slow down and try to find space between us while we are in the middle of the road.”

Sharmila added, “The college watchman regulates the traffic on one side of the road only. At around 2 pm, the traffic piles up because of lack of regulation and even the bus stop can only accommodate 20 people, while close to 40-50 students wait in the sun.”

“Wherever the movement of one user group (pedestrians) overlaps with another (motorists and other vehicles) - for instance, at midblock crossings - special care should be taken to ensure slowing down of vehicles. This can be achieved by traffic calming measures such as installation of speed breaker or table top crossings. Traffic calming elements are particularly important near schools and colleges - like on Harrington Road. In addition, optimal carriageway width to regulate vehicle speed will further improve the safety for the pedestrian while crossing the road,” she added.

Similarly, traffic intersections are also critical points where pedestrians and cyclists - which are vulnerable groups - overlap with vehicles, leading to high pedestrian casualties. “Intersections with smaller turning radii can get vehicles to slow down while making a turn. Such compact intersections, along with refuges and traffic islands, make it safe for pedestrians to cross,” added Nashwa. Pantheon Road junction is being redesigned in this model.

While the pedestrians struggle in many parts of the city, in Adyar and Besant Nagar, there has been an ongoing war of ideologies between the Greater Chennai Corporation and the resident welfare associations. The bone of contention is the redesigning of the pavement and increasing the width. The residents are opposing this expansion, citing fears of encroachment of the widened spaces. C Ramakrishnan, an officer-bearer of Federation of Adyar Residents’ Association (FEDARA), said, “We don’t want pavements that reduce the size of the road for vehicles. The ones that are being expanded are almost 9-foot wide. These have become convenient for vendors and two wheelers who park the bikes on these roads.”

Meanwhile, Corporation officials are trying to negotiate with the residents, explaining the importance of widening works and it’s role in the bigger picture aligning with the civic body’s non-motorised transport (NMT) ideologies. Speaking to DT Next, a senior Corporation official said that while the public has not opposed the laying/widening of footpaths, their major concerns are encroachment of that space as parking areas for vehicles and street vendors.

“The haphazard parking and blatant misuse of footpath by cars and bikes is a huge issue, one which the upcoming parking management system will be able to regulate. In a country like ours, street vendors are in large numbers and it is an important livelihood issue. These vendors will be given a designated spot, demarcated from the pedestrian paths,” said the official.

Experts like Nashwa argue that even the narrowest of the pavements are often encroached, despite the presence of bollards and railings. 

“Instead of uprooting the street vendors, they should be regulated and provided a demarcated space, as they are the backbone of an informal economy and critical in addition an additional layer of safety to our streets. Instead of removing the vendors, integrating them into street design would be a better, safer approach,” she said.