Faded zebra crossings, no signals endanger pedestrians at 16 major junctions in Kochi

Faded zebra crossings and the lack of pedestrian signals are putting pedestrians at risk at 16 major junctions in Kochi city in Kerala.

Earlier this month, the Traffic West police wrote to the Public Works department (PWD) seeking immediate interventions at these junctions where zebra crossings have faded to the point that they are no longer visible, “posing a significant threat to pedestrian safety and contributing to unsafe road-crossing practices, especially during peak hours.”

The police have requested the PWD to repaint zebra crossings and install pedestrian signals at Bolghatty Junction, Police Club, High Court Junction, Broadway Banerjee Junction, Madhava Pharmacy Junction, Lissie Junction, Manorama Junction, GCDA Junction, Kadavanthra Frooty Junction, Ravipuram Junction, Atlantis Junction, Thevara Junction, and Jos Junction (has pedestrian signal).

“These locations experience substantial pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and therefore, immediate corrective measures are essential to prevent accidents and ensure orderly road usage,” the letter stated.

While the plight of motorists navigating city roads during peak hours has been well documented, pedestrians are not spared either as they have to contend with challenges of their own despite many roads being turned ‘smart’ with supposedly pedestrian-friendly features. From missing footpath slabs and encroachments by shops, street vendors, and even parked vehicles, to faded zebra crossings and absent pedestrian signals, pedestrians struggle to walk through city roads.

Earlier this year, the Kochi Corporation launched the Walkable Kochi initiative, aimed at enhancing pedestrian infrastructure through a comprehensive audit of facilities across all 74 divisions of the Corporation through public participation. The project is being implemented with technical expertise from the German agency GIZ, in collaboration with the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED).

Mayor stresses need for cultural shift

Mayor M. Anilkumar, however, emphasised the need for a cultural shift to ensure the proper upkeep of pedestrian facilities.

“Bollards installed on footpaths along smart roads were knocked down by motorists who converted these paths into unauthorised parking spaces. Street vendors have also encroached upon footpaths, which we are now determined to address by strictly confining them to designated vending zones,” he said.

Rangadasa Prabhu, president of Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC), called for the removal of encroachments by shopkeepers and street vendors to reserve footpaths exclusively for pedestrians.

He pointed out that missing tiles and slabs on many footpaths reflected a lack of regular maintenance and a tendency to neglect pedestrians infrastructure once it is laid.

Shaji V. Nair, CEO of Cochin Smart Mission Limited, noted that numerous roads under the Kochi Corporation and the PWD have been upgraded to smart roads with pedestrian-friendly features. “We have even installed lighting based on surveys to eliminate dark spots along these roads,” he added.