Encroached walkways put pedestrians in Hyderabad at risk

HYDERABAD: Despite clear directions from Telangana high court and enforcement drives by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, pedestrians continue to struggle with unsafe walkways.

Residents pointed out that one side of the road near Ambedkar College, Bagh Lingampally, has no proper footpath at all, while the other is heavily encroached.

What should have been pedestrian space has, in many stretches, turned into an extension of roadside vending — carts selling snacks, fruits and tea — occupy almost the entire stretch. By evening, the situation worsens as more vendors line up, forcing pedestrians to step onto the busy carriageway amid speeding traffic.

“We have no option but to walk on the road,” said A Suresh, a college student and daily commuter, adding that it becomes dangerous and every day feels like they are risking lives just to walk a few metres.

P Lakshmi, a local, highlighted that encroachments are removed for a few days and then everything comes back.

Broken footpaths add to woesObserving the deteriorating pedestrian infrastructure in Hyderabad, high court had directed GHMC to initiate an inquiry against officials who failed to implement Supreme Court and high court guidelines mandating that footpaths be kept clear for pedestrians.

Meanwhile, similar concerns were raised in other parts of the city. In Kachiguda and SR Nagar, where authorities recently carried out demolition drives to clear encroachments, residents say the aftermath left footpaths broken and neglected. At Ameerpet's 60-ft road, pedestrians pointed to abandoned structures on footpaths after demolition.

A Sravani, a pedestrian from Kachiguda, questioned how people were expected to walk safely. “While GHMC brazenly demolished the footpath recently, they left behind this unstable telephone booth with protruding electricity poles, further narrowing the already damaged footpaths. We are forced to use lanes meant for vehicles,” she lamented.

Locals also alleged selective enforcement. “Big shop owners were not touched during demolition," a shopkeeper in SR Nagar.

Kanthi Kannan, founder, The Right to Walk Foundation, emphasised that authorities must ensure uniform enforcement and address both small and large violations.

“No one supports encroachment, but why only act against the low-income street vendors? Encroachment is there in high-end areas too,” he added.

A GHMC Town Planning official said that the footpath clearance drive, which is usually carried out on a daily basis, had to be temporarily halted over due to the prevailing heatwave conditions.

“We will resume the exercise again soon, go check in Baghlingampally too where all the footpath has been encroached agaun. Moreover, we are continuously removing the debris to ensure safer pedestrian movement.”