The Supreme Court recently ruled that every citizen has a Fundamental Right under the Constitution to walk on safe, clearly demarcated and well-maintained footpaths. Following this, Bengaluru’s civic administration announced a ‘Safe Footpath’ campaign starting from July 2026.

From dangling cable wires and piles of construction debris to discarded furniture, garbage and parked vehicles, footpaths provide space for almost everything except those who walk. As roads get choked, vehicles too spill onto the whatever is left of the pavements.

A walk by The Hindu across several parts of Bengaluru found that the biggest gap in the city’s pedestrian infrastructure is not just broken footpaths but missing ones. Around bus stops, metro stations, and high-footfall areas, pedestrians were repeatedly forced onto the carriageway because footpaths did not exist. 

In this six-part series The Hindu’s Bengaluru reporters look at what ails the city’s footpaths, the problems faced by the various stakeholders, and what civic agencies are doing to make them safer.

Published - July 11, 2026 03:34 pm IST