A Pune resident has warned the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) that he will move the Bombay High Court if all encroachments on the city's footpaths are not removed.
This comes in the wake of a Supreme Court directive instructing all states and union territories to frame guidelines to ensure proper footpaths for pedestrians, calling it their constitutional right.
Reacting to the apex court’s judgment, Pune entrepreneur Ravi Kumar took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “This is a big win! Thank you, SC! @PMCPune kindly remove all encroachments, including @MSEDCL boxes, else I will have to appeal to the Bombay High Court.”
What did the Supreme Court say?
The top court emphasised that the safety of pedestrians is paramount, and the absence of footpaths increases the risk of accidents.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan stated, “It is necessary to have proper footpaths for citizens. They should be such that they are accessible for persons with disabilities, and the removal of encroachments is mandatory. This Court has recognised that the right of pedestrians to use footpaths is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.”
“The right to have footpaths which are unobstructed is certainly an essential characteristic,” the bench added.
The court also directed the Centre to submit its guidelines for protecting pedestrian rights within two months.
