Road safety experts have welcomed the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling declaring the right to walk on a designated footpath a fundamental right, describing it as a significant step toward improving pedestrian safety in India. However, they cautioned that the judgment’s impact will depend on effective implementation, stronger enforcement, and clear accountability mechanisms.
The ruling comes against the backdrop of rising pedestrian fatalities across the country. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), 36,526 pedestrians lost their lives in road accidents in 2024, making them the second most vulnerable category of road users after two-wheeler riders. Pedestrians accounted for 20.6% of all road crash deaths, while two-wheeler users represented 46.2%.
The figures reveal a worrying trend. Pedestrian deaths increased by 3.7% from 35,221 in 2023 and have nearly tripled since 2014, when 12,330 such fatalities were recorded. The risk is particularly severe in India’s 50 cities with populations exceeding one million, where pedestrians accounted for over a quarter of all road accident deaths.
Experts noted that middle-aged adults are among the most affected. People between the ages of 45 and 60 recorded the highest number of pedestrian fatalities, followed by those in the 35–45 and 25–35 age groups.
The Supreme Court’s decision emerged from a motor accident compensation case involving the death of a child but evolved into a broader examination of pedestrians’ constitutional rights and the responsibilities of public authorities. In addition to recognising walking as a protected right, the court reiterated several measures aimed at improving pedestrian infrastructure and safety.
These directions include mandatory compliance with Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards, retrofitting pedestrian crossings in cities with high fatality rates, and framing rules that prioritise pedestrian-friendly road design. Similar directions were issued by the court in October 2025, but experts argue that progress has been limited.
Geetam Tiwari, professor at IIT Delhi and head of the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention (TRIP) Centre, said the judgment presents an opportunity to create a robust legal framework for pedestrian safety. She stressed that unless responsibilities are clearly assigned and compliance is monitored, the ruling risks remaining ineffective.
Urban mobility and road safety specialist Chetan Sodaye pointed to successful initiatives such as Bengaluru’s Namma Raste and national programmes like Streets4People and Cycles4Change as evidence that people-centric street design can work. However, he noted that such efforts often struggle against long-standing car-centric planning priorities.
According to experts, the next critical step is the creation of independent statutory bodies dedicated to protecting pedestrian rights and ensuring that safety standards are enforced. They believe that only through institutional reforms, consistent monitoring, and accountability can the Supreme Court’s vision of safer, more accessible streets become a reality.
The verdict is being viewed as a milestone in recognising the rights of pedestrians, but its true success will ultimately be measured by whether it leads to safer roads, better infrastructure, and a meaningful reduction in the thousands of lives lost each year.
