PURNIMA BISHT | DEHRADUN
In a tragic incident on December 2, two senior citizens were killed during their morning walk in the Jollygrant area in Dehradun when a speeding vehicle struck them. This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangerous reality the pedestrians face on the streets of Uttarakhand. Experts opined that pedestrians are often treated as an afterthought in urban planning in Uttarakhand, especially in areas where vehicles dominate, leaving little to no safe space for those on foot. They opined that Uttarakhand roads have space for everything except for people to walk.
The tragic accident in Jollygrant is not an isolated case. Just a few months ago in Tehri in June 2024, a woman along with her nieces was fatally run over by a government official’s car during an evening stroll. In March 2024, two elderly men were killed during their morning walk in Haldwani when a speeding car reportedly lost control and hit them. Similarly, in January 2023, a group of walkers was struck by a truck near Bahadrabad in Haridwar, killing two and injuring others. In March 2023, a senior citizen was reportedly killed after being hit by a car near Rajpur Road. The driver was over-speeding, as per the police. A woman was killed by a speeding car during her morning walk in November 2022 in Rudrapur. These incidents highlight the vulnerability of pedestrians and the urgent need for better safety measures on roads.
Dehradun, despite being the state capital, reflects the larger issue of pedestrian safety across Uttarakhand. With roads often occupied by illegal parking, encroachments and garbage dumping, pedestrians are forced onto the main roads, directly in the path of speeding vehicles. Even where footpaths exist, they are frequently blocked due to parked vehicles or encroachments, making walking on the streets a dangerous and unavoidable necessity. The absence of basic safety features such as zebra crossings further exacerbates the risk. The Dehradun based activist Lokesh Ohri said that only eight per cent population of the State have cars but authorities plan every route from main roads to highways to expressways as per their convenience. “About 92 per cent of the State population that include pedestrians, bicycle riders and two-wheeler riders are neglected at every level. There is no space for pedestrians to walk. Where will a person go for a walk? Has the government made enough dedicated parks where people can go for walks? It is hard to walk on areas like Rajpur Road where one vehicle or another will brush you off if you are walking,” Ohri said.
He said that the government should not neglect pedestrians and at least make a protected side walk on main roads and highways wherever possible. Some also opined that people’s tendency to overspeed on empty roads during non-rushed hours combined with a lack of pedestrian infrastructure, turns what should be a peaceful walk into a life-threatening risk. As a result, some argue that taking walks on main roads or highways is simply not sensible, given the conditions. However, Dehradun based environmentalist and lawyer Reenu Paul emphasised that pedestrians have an inherent right to use roads and that drivers must exercise greater responsibility. She also opined that simply constructing protected sidewalks is not a complete solution, as the authorities often fail to ensure these spaces are used as intended. “Authorities created a sidewalk and cycling track in the Rajpur Road area, but these are now occupied by various vendors. Just constructing infrastructure will not help, proper planning and strict enforcement are equally essential. Unfortunately, these are areas where our State struggles,” Paul said.
She stated that ensuring pedestrian safety requires a comprehensive approach, combining thoughtful infrastructure design with effective regulation and monitoring. Without such measures, even well-intentioned initiatives fail to serve their purpose, she added.
