Supreme Court’s pedestrian safety concerns mirror Guwahati’s struggle with blocked and unsafe footpaths
A footpath is meant for walking. Yet, across several parts of Guwahati, pedestrians often find themselves walking on busy roads instead of using the footpaths built for them. Encroachments, parked vehicles, damaged pavements and open drains have transformed what should be the safest space for pedestrians into one of the most difficult places to navigate.
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The issue has now received national attention after the Supreme Court of India recognised that the right to walk safely on a demarcated footpath flows from the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19(1)(d), which provides the freedom of movement, and Article 21, which guarantees the right to life. While hearing a case involving the death of a schoolboy in Delhi, the Court urged the Union Government to consider enacting a law to safeguard pedestrians and make Indian cities more walkable.
The observations came after a tragic incident in which a schoolboy walking on a footpath was crushed to death after a speeding water tanker mounted the pavement. The Court noted that footpaths are meant exclusively for pedestrians and citizens should be able to walk safely without fear of injury or death.
The judgement has renewed a larger national debate: how walkable are our cities?
For Guwahati, the answer is not very encouraging.
A ground visit to several parts of the city, including Ganeshguri, Beltola and Fancy Bazaar, revealed that footpaths are frequently occupied by street vendors, temporary shops, parked motorcycles, electric poles, construction materials and other obstructions. In many areas, pedestrians are left with no option but to step onto the road and navigate through moving traffic.
Speaking to GPlus, a woman who regularly walks through these areas said footpaths have gradually turned into commercial spaces rather than public spaces.
“Footpaths are meant for the public, not for businesses. People have already set up shops there. Because of these shops, people stumble, fall and face major inconveniences. When we complain, some shopkeepers even misbehave with us,” she said.
However, she also acknowledged the challenges faced by vendors and said they should not lose their livelihood.
“We don’t want them to suffer. The government should provide them with proper placement or designated market areas. There can be separate vegetable markets, grocery markets and clothing markets. That way, both the public and the shopkeepers will benefit,” she added.
Her concerns highlight a challenge faced by many Indian cities; balancing pedestrian rights with the livelihood of thousands of street vendors. Urban planners have often argued that removing vendors alone cannot solve the problem unless alternative vending zones are created.
Students, too, say they face similar difficulties every day.
A student who walks to his coaching centre said illegally parked motorcycles have become one of the biggest obstacles on footpaths.
“Nowadays, people park their motorcycles wherever they find space, especially on footpaths. Every day while going to coaching, we face difficulties and are forced to walk on the main road,” he said.
Asked whether walking on the road feels risky, he said, “Yes, it is very risky. Heavy vehicles pass at high speed, and it feels unsafe. There should be dedicated parking zones for two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws so that footpaths remain free for pedestrians.”
His concern is backed by national data.
India records the highest absolute number of road accident fatalities in the world.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), pedestrian deaths have more than doubled over the past decade, highlighting the growing risks faced by people who simply choose to walk.
Speaking to GPlus, a Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) official said, “Footpaths are meant for pedestrians and should not be blocked by vendors. If any vendor blocks a footpath, click a picture and send it to us. We will take the necessary action.”
When asked about weekly markets blocking footpaths, especially in Beltola, the official said, “Even if there is a weekly market, it cannot block the footpath.”
Urban planners often say that a city’s development should not be measured only by the number of flyovers or wider roads it builds. A truly developed city is one where children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and ordinary pedestrians can move safely without being forced onto busy roads.
For Guwahati, this is not merely a question of inconvenience. It is also a question of safety.
The city has witnessed multiple tragedies linked to unsafe pedestrian infrastructure.
On the night of April 19, 30-year-old Payel Nath was returning home from work when she accidentally slipped into an uncovered roadside drain at Maligaon Chariali. Heavy rain had submerged the drain under floodwater, making it difficult to identify. She was swept nearly 150 metres through the drain before rescue teams comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services personnel and local residents recovered her after an hours-long search operation. She was later declared dead at Pandu FRU Hospital.
The incident shocked the city and once again highlighted the dangers posed by uncovered drains, poor drainage infrastructure and unsafe pedestrian spaces during the monsoon.
It was not the first such tragedy.
In August 2025, 10-year-old Bishal Das lost his life after being swept into an open drain near Jyotikuchi during heavy rainfall. The incident triggered public outrage and renewed demands for covered drains, safer footpaths and improved urban infrastructure. Despite promises of improvement, another life was lost less than a year later under similar circumstances.
These incidents raise a larger question: Can a city truly claim to be developing if its citizens cannot even walk safely?
In recent months, the GMC and district administration have carried out eviction drives to remove encroachments from roads and footpaths. While many residents welcomed the action, several also said rehabilitation should go hand in hand with eviction.
One resident said the action was necessary because congestion had become unbearable.
“The road used to remain heavily blocked. It was difficult for schoolchildren and office-goers to commute. The eviction was definitely necessary,” he said.
At the same time, he expressed concern for displaced vendors.
“These vendors have been doing business here for years. Suddenly, they have nowhere to go. The government should provide them with an alternative designated vending zone so they can continue earning their livelihood,” he added.
His view reflects what many residents believe, that pedestrian rights and vendors’ livelihoods should not be treated as competing interests. With proper planning, both can coexist.
The Supreme Court’s observations have now shifted the conversation beyond civic convenience. By linking safe pedestrian movement with constitutional guarantees under Articles 19(1)(d) and 21, the Court has emphasised that pedestrian safety is not merely an administrative responsibility but an issue connected to fundamental rights.
For Guwahati, the judgment comes at a time when the city is rapidly expanding with new roads, flyovers and urban development projects. While these projects are improving connectivity for motorists, many residents argue that pedestrians continue to remain the most neglected road users.
Safe footpaths are not a luxury. They are basic public infrastructure. They determine whether a child can walk to school safely, whether an elderly person can visit a market without fear of falling, and whether a commuter can reach work without risking their life on a busy road.
The Supreme Court has made its position clear. The right to walk safely deserves constitutional protection. The responsibility now lies with governments and civic authorities to translate that principle into reality.
For Guwahati, the question is no longer whether footpaths should exist. The real question is whether they will finally be built, and maintained for the people they were always meant to serve.