Cities for the People

WHEN I visited cities in Western Europe for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to see vehicles stopping to allow pedestrians to cross the road.

- USHA PADHEE

At some zebra crossings, one can even halt traffic by pressing a button when ready to cross. However, in India, whenever I travel by car, I often have to advise the driver to stop if pedestrians are waiting to cross. The prevailing mindset here seems to be that roads belong to vehicles, with pedestrians having the least priority.

In contrast, in livable cities around the world, the hierarchy of road usage begins with pedestrians, followed by non-motorized transport such as bicycles, then public transport, and lastly, private vehicles. Unfortunately, our cities are neither designed nor planned to make walking a preferred mode of commuting.

In recent years, there has been increasing discourse on making cities more livable by creating people-friendly infrastructure that supports a thriving economic environment. One such concept currently gaining momentum is the 15-minute city - where residents can access most of their necessities, including workplaces, homes, and recreational spaces, within a 15-minute commute. Modern urban planning now emphasizes a work-live-play approach, where people enjoy the freedom to access amenities and recreation within close proximity. Accordingly, some Indian cities have embarked on redevelopment and densification initiatives.