The Union Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry on Wednesday said it had issued an advisory to all cities to make select markets pedestrian-friendly by November.

“As cities look to ease the lockdown and provide safe, affordable and equitable modes of transport while ensuring physical social distancing, the need for pedestrianisation of market spaces through walking and cycling friendly cities is of utmost importance. The COVID-19 pandemic presents us with an opportunity to reimagine streets for people”, the Ministry said in a statement.

The advisory issued by HUA Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said cities would have to identify markets - at least three each in cities with population of 1 million or more and one each in those with less than 1 million population - by June 30.

The advisory said municipalities would have to conduct consultations with the stakeholders, including vendors, traffic police, shop-owners and consumers, in order to come up with a holistic pedestrianisation plan.

“This will require proper survey of space used in the present scenario by various stakeholders. A movement/direction plan has to be prepared to see that there are designated walking paths where visitors are able to follow social distancing. Plan could be made keeping the trees and other greens intact, adding tree canopy to improve walkability with clear spaces demarcated for vending, waste collection and access to toilet facilities. Plan should also incorporate interactive spaces for public to be carved out of contiguous unclaimed and under-utilised public spaces in the vicinity of the selected market area”, it said.

Two-phase implementation

After finalising the plan, the implementation should be split into two phases - short and long term. The short-term measures include rearranging the market with temporary features like barricades etc.

Parking on the streets and carriageway lanes could be repurposed to give more waiting space.

“Cities may consider providing improved access through additional streets. Cyclists may be allowed with dedicated/ear-marked pathways. Provision of access to motor vehicles for residents of the area to commute should be clearly delineated”, it said.

The municipalities should increase thee width of footpaths leading to the markets, it noted.

“Long-term permanent structures for promoting pedestrianisation can be developed after temporary short-term measures are found working”, it said.

After identifying the markets by June 30, the cities should complete the stakeholder consultations by September 30, implement short-term measures by the first week of October and assess and amend the measures in November, it stated.