Walkers are slowly losing out to cars and bikers

There is a strong connection between the city environment and public health. The single biggest activity that promotes good health is walking, but Rawalpindi is unfriendly towards walkers. The city has the worst walking space, with non-existent or unworkable footpaths.
“In crowded Rawalpindi walkers are slowly losing out to cars and bikers. A new initiative to reclaim public spaces in the city gulped by motorists, hawkers and encroachers is the need of the hour,” says Reza Asad.
“Barring a few designated parks for women and municipal playgrounds for children, the city has very little to offer by way of undesignated free space where citizens can just spend time away from congested housing,” says Tajjamal Hussain, an advocate.
“We can only dream of having a better, happier and healthier city. If on a week day, I can barely navigate the traffic-congested roads, hawker-infested pavements, and heavily polluted stretches of streets, I consider myself a lucky man,” says Jafar Mehdi, an employee of a private firm.
“Thirty minutes’ walk per day can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression, thus, the urgent need for healthy walking space. Moreover, walking builds a sense of place, and increases the chances to interact with other members of society, which can be difficult when driving a car or riding a bike,” says Dr, Syed Hasan, a medical consultant at Saidpur Road.
“Walking is free. Driving a car means spending money on gas and maintenance. We produce no greenhouse gases when walking. Whether I am going to work, taking my kids to school or picking something up at the grocery store, I choose walking,” says Mahmooda Hussain, an OPF worker.
“The absence of footpaths in almost every residential street, lesser margins for walkers on most roads, the space in commercial areas usurped by small hawkers and commercial establishments is an infringement of walkers’ rights,” says Shumaila Ali.
Shabeehe Ali says: “City fathers’ policy favours metal hulks over people. The fall of the walkers, which began with the rise of auto industry has set permanent policy for roads. Walking is now getting dangerous. Healthy localities sadly are decreasing with commercialization of residential areas.”
Shafaat Ali, a trader says: “Only a people-first policy can have a profound impact on public health. The single biggest activity promoting good health is walking, but our city shows antagonism to walkers. City fathers’ investing tax money of citizens should naturally consider whether their projects benefit the maximum number of people. At the very least, they should refrain from spending money in a way that adds to the misery of the population.”
“City fathers are colossal failures in this regard. To them, a good city is measured by ever wider roads, no footpaths, and constantly flowing vehicular traffic and they will not hesitate to spend staggering amounts to ensure that. Our civic leaders should rethink their unintelligent policy approaches for a variety of reasons,” Hamayat Ali, a social worker, agrees with Shafaat.
Shazia Hussain, a private school teacher says: “Widening lanes for cars and thoughtless new shopping malls mean that healthy walking space in the city is further going to shrink. Such projects suck green life out of the city. Streets should be made environmentally good for the people Although there is no healthy walking space in my area, still I try to achieve the desired goal of good health by daily walking up to my school.”