Published Jul 17, 2026 | 4:56 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2026 | 4:56 PM
Ernakulam, 6 July: A police vehicle is parked on the footpath at a bus stop near Aluva Market. Law enforcers themselves are breaking the law!
Synopsis: Pedestrians, perhaps the largest unorganised section of citizens, are deprived of footpaths — pavements to walk safely and with dignity. The Supreme Court has now asserted that the right to walk on safe, demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right under the rights to free movement and life. But are the footpaths in your city available for pedestrians?
Law enforcers themselves breaking the law is not rare. Heavy traffic flows through the stretch near the Aluva Market in Kerala’s Ernakulam, yet motorists park their vehicles, and commercial establishments put up their signboards on the footpath. The lack of designated areas for each creates confusion and inconvenience, forcing pedestrians and bus commuters to struggle for space. A picture by Sreelakshmi Soman.
Ernakulam, 6 July: A police vehicle is parked on the footpath at a bus stop near Aluva Market. Law enforcers themselves are breaking the law!
Join South First’s Reclaim Footpaths campaign. If you see a footpath that is encroached on or damaged, share a photo and details (location, date) with us at +91 8341082462. We will flag it to the authorities responsible for fixing it.
Also See: Courts, ‘Queen’ and Commons — the Kochi paradox
