Inside Andhra’s Policy to Enforce ‘Right to Walk’

Andhra Pradesh has become the first State to formulate a Pedestrian Safety and Universal Accessibility Policy, 2026, after the Supreme Court recognised the right to walk on footpaths as a fundamental right.

Key Policy Features

• Agencies responsible for roads in cities with a population above one million must implement the policy first.
• The policy invokes Section 198A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, allowing penalties against officials, contractors and consultants for infrastructure or design failures causing pedestrian death or disability.
• Local bodies must identify high-risk pedestrian zones and undertake regular audits of footpaths and crossings.
• Authorities must prioritise at least 15–20 pedestrian “black spots” where frequent injuries or deaths have occurred in the previous 2–3 years.
• The policy mandates surveys of 20% of roads within one year to assess pedestrian crossing requirements and complete necessary works within seven months.

Specifications of Footpaths

• Footpaths must have a minimum walking width of 2 metres to comfortably accommodate wheelchairs.
• A 0.4–1 metre buffer space and a 1.5-metre multifunction zone should be provided for utilities, autorickshaw stands, seating and on-street vending.
• Footpath height should not exceed 150 mm from the road and surfaces must be firm, stable, even and slip-resistant.
• Bollards must be 0.5–0.7 metres high, with clear spacing to allow wheelchair access while preventing motorcycle entry.

Social Policing and Performance

• The policy includes behavioural-change and citizen-participation measures to improve pedestrian discipline.
• A district-level grievance portal and mobile application will enable citizens to report violations and pedestrian-safety concerns.
• Urban local bodies will be ranked through a performance metric based on their implementation of pedestrian-safety measures.

Pedestrian Deaths: Key Data

• In 2024, 1,739 pedestrians died in Andhra Pradesh out of 8,346 road-accident deaths.
• Across India, pedestrians accounted for around 36,526 road deaths in 2024.
• Around 31% of pedestrian deaths occur on national highways alone.