Bengaluru Civic Body Deletes Walking Campaign Post After Outcry Over Broken Footpaths

The Greater Bengaluru Authority recently deleted a social media post promoting a walking campaign after Bengaluru residents responded with widespread criticism and photos highlighting the city's severely neglected pedestrian infrastructure. The civic body had urged citizens to walk one kilometre as part of a climate action and health campaign, but was met with immediate backlash from residents pointing out the hazardous condition of local footpaths.

Instead of participating in the campaign, residents countered the social media post by uploading numerous photos and sharing stories detailing missing pedestrian paths, crumbling pavements, and unsafe streets across Bengaluru. Many compared the daily act of walking in the city to playing a 'Super Mario' video game, citing the need to constantly dodge potholes, hop over garbage, and zigzag around broken pavements. The severity of the online criticism ultimately led the Greater Bengaluru Authority to remove the post entirely.

The episode has renewed a familiar question among Bengaluru citizens: how can the city administration encourage people to walk when basic pedestrian infrastructure remains neglected?

Amid these growing concerns over pedestrian safety, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar recently announced a Rs 2,000-crore road resurfacing programme. Unveiled on the day of his swearing-in, the initiative aims to cover roads across Bengaluru within a three-to-four-month timeframe, including stretches that are not covered by any existing projects.

While residents have welcomed the prospect of smoother roads, civic advocates point out that the city's larger challenges lie beyond its main carriageways. Fixing broken footpaths and ensuring safe walking spaces remains just as crucial as repairing roads if Bengaluru is to successfully promote walking and cycling. Currently, the daily hazard of walking on the city's footpaths continues to draw sharp criticism from residents who feel their basic safety needs are being ignored.