Do metro cities have space for pedestrians? | In Focus podcast

What does it say about our cities when the Supreme Court has to remind governments that people have a fundamental right to walk?The Court’s recent judgment on footpaths has put a very basic question back on the table - who does the city actually make space for, the pedestrian or the vehicle?In cities like Bengaluru, the answer is visible on the street. Footpaths are taken over by parking, vendors, utility infrastructure and construction, while in several places there is barely a footpath to begin with. But is “encroachment” really the problem, or have we never planned our streets around pedestrians in the first place?So, what does the Supreme Court’s decision mean for metropolitan cities, and what would it take for Bengaluru and other metro cities to become a city where walking is treated as a right rather than an afterthought?Guest: Pawan M, Executive Director at the World Resources Institute, who has been advocating for safer, more accessible and people-centric streetHost: Rishita KhannaEdited and produced by Sharmada VenkatasubramanianCamera: Ravichandran NListen to more In Focus podcasts: Published - August 18, 2026 04:39 pm IST