BNCC targets 100 km of obstruction free walkways

BENGALURU Stepping up efforts to reclaim public spaces and prioritize pedestrian safety, the Bengaluru North City Corporation (BNCC) has executed a rigorous footpath walkability audit along Kodigehalli Main Road. Led by senior municipal engineers alongside civic initiative coordinators, the inspection forms part of an aggressive campaign spearheaded by Corporation Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar to deliver 100 kilometers of obstruction-free, pedestrian-friendly walkways across the northern zone by November 1. The high-level inspection team—comprising Zone 1 Chief and Executive Engineers alongside Walkaluru representative Arun Pai—covered a critical four-kilometer stretch spanning both sides of the thoroughfare from Kodigehalli Gate to Kodigehalli Village. The walkability audit was designed to evaluate physical infrastructure condition, identify transit bottlenecks, and catalogue hazards forcing pedestrians off sidewalks and onto dangerous vehicular lanes. The audit team flagged multiple structural and utility-related obstructions hindering smooth movement. Key issues documented during the inspection included defunct or abandoned streetlight poles obstructing walkways, improperly aligned underground utility inspection chambers, and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) manhole covers projecting significantly above the finished footpath surface level. Additionally, the survey recorded hazardous elements requiring immediate utility coordination, such as redundant BESCOM electricity poles, misaligned optical fiber cable (OFC) junction boxes, exposed and dangling telecommunication wires, localized accumulations of solid waste, and broken, sunken concrete slabs creating uneven walking surfaces. Commercial encroachments by local shopkeepers and roadside vendors further compounded pedestrian difficulties along key commercial segments. Following the audit, zonal engineering divisions were issued strict directives to execute immediate corrective work, rectify surface level discrepancies, and coordinate with utility providers to relocate obstructive poles and cables. The initiative aligns with the Corporation's broader administrative blueprint to overhaul pedestrian infrastructure and ensure universal accessibility across urban nodes. With the November 1 deadline fast approaching, BNCC authorities remain focused on completing remediation works on target, transforming vital neighborhood corridors into safe, clean, and truly walkable public spaces for Bengaluru residents.