Mumbai – The Maharashtra state government has issued a fresh directive to all city councils, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Chandrapur, to set aside at least 1 % of their annual budgets for road safety and pedestrian protection. The move follows a Supreme Court order that now applies to every municipal corporation in the state.
The directive, released by the State Urban Development Department, comes after a public‑interest lawsuit filed by S. Rajasekaran, which asked the court to strengthen measures to protect people on the streets. The court’s order required each civic body to open a separate budget line and use the money only for road‑and‑pedestrian safety projects.
Key points from the 14‑point action plan include:
- Tactile paving will be installed at major transit hubs—bus stands, metro and railway stations—to help visually‑impaired commuters.
- Municipalities must work closely with traffic officials to improve pedestrian access, creating smooth entry paths, waiting rooms and tactile routes.
- Every six months, local councils must commission footpath audits through registered agencies. The focus will be on busy markets, schools, universities, transport terminals and tourist spots.
- Audits must produce a repair schedule that is shared with the Urban Development Department.
- The city will clear encroachments from sidewalks, keep light fixtures and CCTV on pedestrian bridges and subways, and make sure zebra crossings meet national road‑safety standards.
- A dedicated Accessibility and Pedestrian Cell will be set up in each municipality to oversee planning, maintenance and complaint handling.
- In partnership with the police, councils must identify accident‑prone spots and station safety personnel where necessary.
- Every year, at least 20 % of city roads should be reviewed to determine the need for new pedestrian crossings, and the government urges tighter rules for cyclists and pedestrians under the Motor Vehicles Act.
- Each city will launch an online portal so residents can report encroachments, damaged pavements or missing safety features. The council must resolve complaints within 15 days.
The state government stresses that all municipalities strictly follow these guidelines and warns that any failure to comply will breach Supreme Court directives.
Source: ianslive
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