Sunil Lohan
*Over 300 citizens participated in Sunrise to Sunset walk.
On New Year’s Day,Bengaluru hosted a landmark civic initiative aimed at highlighting pedestrian safety, walkable urban infrastructure,and sustainable city development.
The world’s longest,26-kilometre group footpath walk, conducted,was successfully organised, underscoring the city’s commitment to a pedestrian-friendly urban vision.
The walk commenced at 7.00 AM and witnessed participation from over 300 citizens and pedestrians, ranging in age from 9 to 76 years.
Walking strictly on footpaths along the designated route, 165 participants successfully completed the entire 26-kilometre distance by 6.30 PM,demonstrating exceptional endurance and discipline.
*Route Covered:
The footpath walk covered major corridors and localities across the city, including RV Road,Jayanagar,Siddapura, Lalbagh,K.H Road,K-100 Corridor,Hosur Road,Richmond Road,Cubbon Park,Vidhana Soudha,Cubbon Road, Halsur Lake,Cantonment Railway Station,Jayamahal, Mekhri Circle,and Yeshwanthpur.
*Key Highlight of the Walk:
A major highlight of the event was the 2-kilometre walk along the K-100 Citizen’s Waterway,where participants experienced integrated urban infrastructure firsthand.
During this stretch,walkers observed three Kempegowda Towers,one lake,two parks,and continuous pedestrian pathways,reflecting Bengaluru’s volving urban landscape and public space planning.
*Participation of Senior Officials:
The walk witnessed active participation and encouragement from the Chief Secretary to the Government,Smt.Shalini Rajneesh,the Chief Commissioner,Maheshwar Rao,and the Commissioners of the South,West, and North City Corporations.
Their presence and involvement reaffirmed the administration’s strong commitment to promoting walkability and pedestrian-centric city development.
*Public Feedback and Observations:
Participants appreciated the availability of 26 kilometres of continuous footpaths and commended the personal involvement and guidance of senior officers.
As part of the walk,a stroller carrying a child was pushed along the entire 26-kilometre route to assess the usability of footpaths for such purposes.
While the exercise confirmed that stroller movement is largely feasible,it also highlighted the need for additional ramps at certain locations,which would further improve accessibility and ease of movement.
The walk was conducted under the leadership of Mr. Arun Pai,Coordinator of the Walkaluru Project,and concluded with resounding success.
The initiative is expected to contribute significantly to future planning and development of safe,continuous, and accessible pedestrian pathways across the city.
This historic Sunrise to Sunset walk on New Year’s Day reinforces Bengaluru’s position as a people-centric, forward-looking city and serves as a model for pedestrian-focused urban initiatives across the country.
