How safe are pedestrians on our roads?

India is a nation of walkers. According to the 2011 census, one third of all work trips are by foot. Women walk to work more than men. And 60% of school journeys are by walk (NSO). Indian roads are unsafe for walkers. Almost 26,000 pedestrians, an 85% increase in the last 5 years, have died on Indian roads. Chennai’s OMR stretch alone sees as many as 34 pedestrian deaths a year. 90% of these deaths were from pedestrians trying to cross the road (Greater Chennai Traffic Police, 2019).

‘A robust master plan can be ambitious but more importantly, must be achievable; it must include citizens’ views, for that is the ultimate aim of the plan - to build a city which offers its residents a sustainable lifestyle and equitable access to its  resources’, said Sumana Narayanan, Senior Researcher, CAG. The webinar offered just that - a space to discuss the evolution and transformation of master planning and mobility in Chennai and a platform where citizens could discuss their aspirations for the third master plan.