Government initiatives and schemes to ensure adequate pedestrian infrastructure and walkable urban mobility
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs highlights constitutional and scheme-linked measures to improve safe, walkable urban streets and last-mile mobility.
- Urban service delivery for municipal roads, bridges, and associated footpaths is mainly a State and local responsibility under the Constitution’s Schedule XII.
- URDPFI Guidelines guide urban planning by prescribing footpaths along all roads under Section 8.2.3.
- AMRUT includes non-motorized transport as a component and reports Green Mobility work that builds walkways and cycle tracks.
- SSASCI encourages climate sustainability initiatives in urban planning aimed at walkable safe streets and footpaths.
What happened: Government-linked push for walkable urban streets
The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, in a Rajya Sabha written reply, stated that safe pedestrian infrastructure and walkable mobility depend on a mix of constitutional responsibilities and Central Government support through policy guidance and schemes. The Ministry connected pedestrian footpaths and walkability to urban transport planning frameworks and to ongoing mission-based investments for non-motorized transport, last-mile connectivity, and public transport access.
Constitutional and institutional background: who builds and maintains roads and footpaths
UPSC can frame walkable urban mobility as a coordination challenge between constitutional urban responsibilities of Urban Local Bodies and State Governments, and Central Government’s role through policy guidance and financial assistance. The case also supports answers on how TOD and non-motorized transport components are implemented through national missions and urban planning guidelines.
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