Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s latest effort to reclaim pedestrian footpaths is facing a familiar challenge — keeping the cleared spaces free after civic officials move on.
Encroachments return after clearance drives
The Greater Bengaluru Authority launched the Safe Footpath Campaign in July across the city’s five municipal corporations to remove encroachments and obstructions and improve pedestrian safety.
Officials cleared long stretches of footpaths, with more than 200 kilometres reportedly reclaimed along arterial and sub-arterial roads.
However, a month into the campaign, illegal vendors and other encroachments have reportedly begun returning on several stretches. The development has raised questions over whether the clearances can be sustained.
Footpaths face more than vendor encroachments
Street vending is only one part of Bengaluru’s footpath problem. Parked vehicles, utility installations, construction materials, debris and other temporary or permanent obstructions can also leave pedestrians without a usable walking route.
As part of the wider campaign, the Greater Bengaluru Development Minister has asked Bescom to identify electricity-related obstacles on footpaths so they can also be removed.
The larger challenge, however, remains enforcement and regular monitoring.
Keeping footpaths clear is the real test
A clearance drive can quickly transform the appearance of a road, but that change means little if the same space becomes blocked again days later.
For pedestrians, a footpath needs to remain accessible every day, not just during an inspection.
The most effective test for the campaign would therefore be a simple one: return to the roads where encroachments were removed and check whether the reclaimed space remains clear.
If the authorities can maintain these stretches through regular monitoring and enforcement, the campaign could become a model for sustained pedestrian-friendly governance.
Otherwise, Bengaluru risks repeating an old cycle — clear, return and clear again.