A little bit of hunger is good for you," says Serge Pizzorno. "Keeps you going. The Kasabian frontman is describing a typical day in his home recording studio. Snacks and phones are banned, but he might screen a film in the background (typically something by David Lynch) while he tinkers with his
Three killed in separate wall collapse incidents in Odisha amid heavy rainfallOdisha recorded 1,154.3 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 31 against its normal seasonal rainfall of 1,150.2 mm Updated on: Sep 2, 2026, 07:49:44 IST By Debabrata Mohanty Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
Vaishnavi Patil, 26, was supposed to share the stage with Rahul Gandhi at a Congress party event for women in Pune last month. She could not address the crowd because of time constraints but was far from disappointed. “This was the first event where a political party head was talking about
ICTS 2026: Centre says Delhi set to get comprehensive road-grid plan within 3-4 monthsThe Capital is set to get a comprehensive road-grid plan within months as the Centre moves to implement the city’s new master plan, a senior Union housing and urban affairs ministry official said on Tuesday
Fact check: Is Dollywood closing permanently after a fire? Could Disney buy the park for $200 billion?Rumors that Dollywood burned down and is permanently closing are false. The park remains open. While, Disney takeover claims are also untrue. Published on: Sep 2, 2026
As India moves from AI experimentation to real-world application, the ET AI Awards 2027 recognise organisations, teams and leaders driving AI innovation, business transformation and measurable impact. Across AI startups, SMEs and enterprises, the awards spotlight excellence in AI products
Erin Piacenti’s killer posted about ‘stabbing others for no reason’ months before attackMonths before killing Bank of America VP Erin Piacenti, Pamela Cisneros shared a series of posts where she rambled about religion, the meaning of life and more Updated on: Sep 2, 2026
Ariana Grande made an emotional exit on Tuesday night, as she wrapped up her Eternal Sunshine tour, and prepared to step back from public life. The singer was occasionally close to tears - most notably during One Last Time, the song that took on extra meaning as an anthem for survivors of the 2017
The Supreme Court’s right-to-walk judgment should change how Indian cities build roads
The Supreme Court’s recognition on June 19 of the right to walk safely as part of the right to life has implications that extend well beyond pedestrian safety. It raises a broader question about what Indian cities choose to build and what they continue to neglect.
Walking remains the most common mode of transport in Indian cities, accounting for roughly one-quarter to one-third of all trips according to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy India. Yet pedestrians receive among the least attention in urban planning and public investment.
For decades, urban development has been measured through highways, flyovers, expressways and metro corridors. New roads and projects completed are announced frequently, while the public spaces people use every day – pavements, crossings, bus stops and road edges – remain poorly planned or absent altogether.
The result is that Indian cities have invested heavily in roads without investing enough in the streets that make those roads usable.
This distinction is important because roads and streets serve different purposes. Roads are designed to move vehicles efficiently. Streets support everyday urban life. Every metro journey begins and ends with a walk. Children walk to school, workers walk to bus stops and elderly citizens walk to neighbourhood markets.
Streets simultaneously accommodate public transport, utilities, drainage, vending and green cover. They are among the most intensively used public assets in any city, yet they are rarely planned or managed as complete public systems.
Around the locality in which I live in Delhi, metro construction has continued for several years. Along one stretch that I walk regularly, I instinctively cover my face as vehicles pass because construction material remains exposed and dust accumulates along the edge of the road. Pavements disappear without warning and walking becomes an exercise in avoiding debris, traffic and uneven surfaces.
This experience is hardly unique to Delhi. Across our cities, pedestrians navigate roads where footpaths were never built or exist only in fragments. Dusty shoulders become informal walking space until they are occupied by parked vehicles, shop spillover or construction material.
Where pavements do exist, they are frequently blocked by electric poles, transformers, utility trenches or encroachments. These are often treated as isolated civic complaints, but together they point to a complex governance challenge.
Responsibility for streets is divided among several agencies. Municipal corporations build and maintain pavements; Public Works Departments construct roads; the Traffic Police regulate movement; metro agencies restore roads after construction; electricity distributors install poles and transformers; water, sewerage and telecom agencies repeatedly excavate the same corridors; and contractors complete projects and leave.
Each agency manages one component, but none is responsible for the street as a whole.
Construction receives political attention because it is visible and measurable. Maintenance, coordination and street management rarely receive the same attention despite determining how citizens experience the city every day.
The problem begins even before maintenance. Most road projects are still conceived around the carriageway, with pedestrian infrastructure added later, if at all, by different agencies. As a result, many roads are tendered without pavements, shade, drainage, accessible crossings or organised space for utilities, parking and vending.
India’s next challenge is therefore not simply building more roads but building complete streets. A complete street treats the entire public realm as infrastructure by integrating carriageways, continuous footpaths, drainage, lighting, tree cover, accessible curbs, vending zones, parking management and road-edge treatment within a single project rather than leaving each element to different agencies.
The returns from this approach extend far beyond mobility and infrastructure. Better-managed streets reduce dust pollution by limiting exposed road edges and construction spillover. An IIT Delhi study found that interventions such as paving unpaved roads, repairing potholes and fixing broken footpaths reduced local PM2.5 concentrations by between about 15% and 27% across three pollution hotspots in Delhi.
Tree-lined streets reduce heat exposure during increasingly frequent heatwaves. Walkable neighbourhoods increase footfall for local businesses and improve access to public transport by making first- and last-mile journeys easier. Street maintenance is also labour-intensive, creating employment in landscaping, sanitation, repairs and public space management while improving the performance of infrastructure that cities already possess.
Good streets also make cities safer. Places where people can comfortably walk tend to support more active public life, stronger neighbourhood commerce and greater natural surveillance. Infrastructure that is safe for children, elderly citizens and persons with disabilities invariably creates a safer environment for women, workers, students and everyone else.
Transport, air pollution, public health, climate resilience and road safety are usually discussed as separate policy challenges. In practice, they intersect on the same streets.
The Supreme Court’s judgment should become more than a direction to improve footpaths. It should encourage governments to rethink how streets are conceived, designed, tendered, financed and managed.
India’s next phase of urban development should be judged not only by how many roads are built, but by whether those investments create streets that are safe, accessible and usable for everyone.
The court has recognised the right to walk safely as part of the right to life. Delivering that right now requires Indian cities to recognise streets as essential public infrastructure rather than treating them as the leftover space beside roads.
Kabeer Arora works on urban policy, climate resilience and public institutions. The views expressed are personal.
Source: Scroll
Related Posts: Four crew members eject safely after two Navy jets crash during air show in Idaho Crew evacuated safely from burning ship in San Pedro How will Gaganyaan astronauts return safely to earth Google brings Gemini to the cloud safely with its new Private AI Compute Fighter jet crews parachute safely after collision at US air show Two more India-flagged LPG tankers safely transit Strait of Hormuz How can parents safely support children’s phone usage PM attending G20 summit 'safely Artemis crew home safely after completing historic mission to the Moon Demis Hassabis has a plan to harness AI safely
About a century ago, long before environmental degradation became the crisis of our times, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore had sounded early warning bells about the destruction of forests. Though Tagore was born in the city of Kolkata, he had a deep and abiding contact with nature from childhood
14 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.The joy of drawing anywhere starts with the right tablet, and these six options make a strong case for leaving the deskLarge canvases
14 hours ago
Cops quiz witnesses to form ‘watertight’ case over Greater Noida-Delhi bus gangrapeA police officer associated with the probe said that they have written to the Forensic Science Laboratory to expedite the report. Updated on: Sep 2, 2026, 07:21:59 IST By Hemani Bhandari Prefer HTon Google Share
14 hours ago
The Supreme Court quashed several first information reports against protesters. It invoked constitutional powers to ensure complete justice for young participants. The court also directed that similar cases in other states shall not be pursued
14 hours ago
Orry reveals he went to Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 without informing his parents: ‘Not fragile Barbie doll people paint me’Orry has impressed one and all with his performance in multiple stunts on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15. Updated on: Sep 2, 2026, 06:15:26 IST By Santanu Das Prefer HTon Google Share
14 hours ago
Manchester City have completed the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a joint-British transfer record £125m. The Fernandez deal takes City's spending to a Premier League record £458m for a single transfer window, surpassing Liverpool's £415m from last summer
14 hours ago
Gurgaon woman busts myth of ‘lavish corporate life’, says salary disappears after paydayA Gurgaon woman shared how bills and daily expenses left her with little of her salary soon after payday. Published on: Sep 1, 2026, 14:24:23 IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy
1 days ago
A 25 groove philosophy: John Ternus built his way to Apple’s top jobThe parts nobody sees are exactly the ones worth getting right. That has always been Apple’s approach. That is also the John Ternus way Published on: Sep 1, 2026, 12:11:04 IST By Vishal Mathur Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy
1 days ago
US army secretary Dan Driscoll resigns after reported tensions with Pete HegsethDan Driscoll's departure is the latest high-profile exit at the US defense department under defense secretary Pete Hegseth. Updated on: Sep 1, 2026, 14:18:54 IST Bloomberg Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link US Army
1 days ago
Who is Hannah Israel? Heartbroken owner speaks out after beloved donkey HeeHaw is killed by cop: ‘He was my son!’Hannah Israel, the owner of a donkey, HeeHaw, was left heartbroken after a Cedartown police officer allegedly shot the animal dead in Polk County. Published on: Sep 1, 2026
1 days ago
India is preparing a framework that would let AI agents make small digital payments without approval for every transaction, three sources familiar with the matter said, potentially making UPI one of the world's largest networks with agentic payments
1 days ago
The Delhi High Court sought a response from the Wrestling Federation of India. Olympian Vinesh Phogat challenged two show-cause notices issued against her. She alleges arbitrary and discriminatory disciplinary actions by the federation. Phogat also seeks a fair framework for women athletes
1 days ago
Mirzapur: The Movie, starring Ali Fazal and Pankaj Tripathi, is all set to hit theatres on September 4, and fans of the popular web series are eagerly waiting to see the Mirzapur universe expand to the big screen. The film has been passed with an ‘A’ certificate by the CBFC and has a runtime of
1 days ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday once again appealed to Indians not to travel abroad and refrain from buying gold. “Avoid organising destination weddings in foreign countries,” said Modi in a video posted from Kyrgyzstan. The prime minister is in the country for the Shanghai Cooperation
1 days ago
A dark wall appears from behind the buildings at Gyirong, on the Chinese side of the Nepal-Tibet border. At first, it looks almost like a black cloud. Then it gathers shape and speed: water, mud, boulders, ice and rock surging down the valley
1 days ago
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the BJP’s 10-day ‘Ballari Chalo’ padayatra gives Congress an opportunity to counter the opposition and that his party will plan a response. He also discussed drought assessment across Karnataka and criticised the FIR against Rahul Gandhi as
1 days ago
A content creator from China attempted to experience life as a woman in Delhi, but it took an unsettling turn after he started getting unwanted attention from men. Dressed in women’s clothing and walking through the city, the blogger claimed that several men approached him
1 days ago
Founder who survived on bread, water at 18 thinks everyone should go ‘completely broke’ onceA Mumbai-based founder claimed that surviving on bread and water at 18 removed his fear of startup failure and financial losses. Updated on: Sep 1, 2026
1 days ago
What the robots are telling usWhile setting their own athletic records at the robot Olympics, humanoid robots underline a visible shift from an engineering spectacle to being a commercial and trade leverage Published on: Sep 1, 2026, 11:48:03 IST By Vishal Mathur Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy
1 days ago
Sleeping until 9 am is often linked with laziness or a lack of discipline in Indian homes. But Gurgaon-based entrepreneur Jasveer Singh believes the idea needs to be questioned. The co-founder and CEO of Knot Dating said waking up early should not be treated as an achievement
1 days ago
Did you know the term 'Artificial Intelligence' was coined 71 years ago?The term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined by computer scientist in 1955, when he used it in a proposal for a summer research project at Dartmouth College. Updated on: Sep 1, 2026
1 days ago
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 22 states sued Amazon on Monday for allegedly "manipulating" online auctions for digital advertising, resulting in more than $20 billion in overcharges for 1.2 million customers. Amazon "has secretly and systematically overcharged its approximately 1
1 days ago
The death toll in Nepal from devastating floods on the border with Tibet has crossed 1,000, according to the country's disaster agency. More than 3,900 people remain missing - of whom more than 600 are workers believed to be trapped in a vast network of mud-filled tunnels at hydropower sites along
1 days ago
‘Prove my role, I’ll retire’: Karanataka minister Priyank Kharge challenges HD Kumaraswamy over KPSC rowKarnataka minister Priyank Kharge claimed Kumaraswamy was asked by the RSS or Amit Shah to target him. Updated on: Sep 1, 2026, 14:28:17 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
1 days ago
Always looking for a sweet treat after dinner? Fitness coach Eric Roberts shares 3 reasons for late-night sugar cravings Published on: Sep 1, 2026, 14:09:20 IST By Eshana Saha Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Read more to find out why your sugar cravings intensify at the end of the day!
1 days ago
3-year-old kidnapped from Delhi found 1,000 km away in Bihar; accused woman had 6 daughters, wanted a sonThe child went missing while he was playing near his mother, who had gone to the hospital to collect medicines, police said. Updated on: Sep 1, 2026
1 days ago
63-year-old grandmother shares 1 exercise senior citizens must do to stay independent as they age: 'Knee pain is tricky' Published on: Sep 1, 2026, 14:05:05 IST By Sanya Panwar Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Think you should skip squats due to knee pain? This 63-year-old fitness coach says
1 days ago
