Pedestrian-friendly sidewalks must be built to reduce road deaths
Despite being the hub of all activities in the country, the capital Dhaka has turned into an unsafe megacity.
With a growing population, the economic and political centre has long topped the list of the world’s unhealthiest cities.
Besides, fires, vandalism, various types of accidents and road deaths are regular occurrences.
Being the centre of centralized government and economy, the influx of people has made Dhaka inevitable.
Due to unplanned urbanization, this megacity has become a ‘time bomb’ at the risk of natural and man-made disasters.
Although expressways, flyovers and metro rails have provided some relief, they are not enough to address the crisis in the communication system.
Since more than eighty percent of the country’s economy is in the informal sector, business, trade and shopping occupy the roads and sidewalks.
Most of the sidewalks are unusable or far behind the prescribed standards.
Due to ineffective traffic systems and poor sidewalks, most city dwellers have to travel on main roads, increasing the risk of road accidents.
A recent report titled ‘Road Safety Situation in Dhaka’ said that 56 percent of those killed in road accidents in the capital were pedestrians, 24 percent were motorcyclists, and 8 percent were rickshaw users.
In many places, sidewalks are dilapidated, uneven, or unusable. As a result, people are forced to walk on the main roads, where they are constantly confronted by speeding buses, trucks, and motorcycles.
When a person is forced to risk their life by not being able to use the sidewalk, the responsibility is not only the driver’s but also the city authorities.
To make sidewalks pedestrian-friendly, the first thing that needs to be done is to free them from encroachment. This is not a new discussion, but there is no consistency in implementation.
Even if raids are conducted occasionally, they are not sustainable. Regular monitoring and political and administrative goodwill are needed.
The safety of pedestrians must be ensured through infrastructural changes in high-risk areas and proper enforcement of road transport laws.
The DMP and city corporations are taking initiatives to remove illegal encroachments from the sidewalks and make them safe for pedestrians.
But alternative arrangements must also be taken for small traders and hawkers so that their livelihoods are not threatened.
Ensuring the safety of pedestrians is not a luxury, it is a fundamental right. Making sidewalks pedestrian-friendly is not just an infrastructure development; it is a commitment to building a humane and inclusive city.
Now is the time to decide — will Dhaka’s roads be just for vehicles, or will they be safe for people too?
