Shrinking Footpaths: A Big Problem

Footpaths are important because they let people walk safely on roads, giving them a special place to move around. But in Jammu, these footpaths are becoming smaller and narrower over time. This is happening because shops, street vendors, parked cars, and other things are taking up the space meant for walking. Because of this, people, including children, are forced to walk on busy roads where vehicles are moving fast, which makes accidents, injuries, and even deaths more likely. This issue is getting worse quickly and is affecting everyday life. For example, in places like Purani Mandi in the old city, street sellers often set up their stalls directly on the footpaths in the morning, making it impossible to walk through. Also, many of these footpaths don't have proper ramps, which makes it hard for people using wheelchairs, strollers, or those with walking difficulties to use them.

This makes it very hard and annoying for elderly people, young kids, pregnant women, and those with disabilities to move around safely in their local areas. The government has set clear rules about keeping footpaths clean and open, but local officials often fail to follow them properly because of corruption or not having enough money. Even when courts strongly tell these authorities to remove the blockages and fix the situation, the changes don't stay for long. The same problem happens again within a few days. At the same time, there's a serious lack of proper parking spaces in Jammu, which leads more people to take over footpaths illegally. Because of all this, the footpaths are not kept clean, safe, and open as they should be, which breaks important city laws and hurts the basic rights of all citizens to use them freely.

Now, let's look at Jammu city areas, where the problems are especially serious and clearly seen in daily life. Busy places like BC Road, Rehari, City Chowk, Canal Road, and others have almost no space left for safe walking. Vendors with their carts, parked bikes, scooters, and illegal shop extensions fully block the footpaths from morning till late at night. People living in these areas and those who travel through them often express strong frustration about this ongoing issue. It makes simple tasks like buying groceries, going to work, or taking a family trip difficult and stressful, as there's always a worry about safety. For instance, just on December 15, 2025, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) took strong and decisive action by breaking down numerous illegal structures and stalls to free up much-needed space along BC Road and other equally crowded areas in the city. In addition, JMC has recently launched major anti-encroachment drives across various city zones, working tirelessly to restore footpaths and reclaim precious road space for the public's benefit.

Moreover, the Jammu & Kashmir High Court issued a firm and landmark order in June 2025 to immediately remove all commercial encroachments from key roads like Rehari and surrounding areas, emphasizing the urgent need for regular cleanup drives every two weeks, zero tolerance for any pathway blockages whatsoever, and a strict minimum width of 1.5 meters to ensure truly safe walking for all citizens regardless of ability. Local traders in Jammu welcomed this important decision as a positive step forward for business and safety, but unfortunately, problems tend to return quickly due to inconsistent follow-up, limited manpower, and sometimes political pressures.

Although the city has started adding helpful underpasses for safer road crossings, such as the newly opened JMC pedestrian subway, these isolated measures alone are still not sufficient to fully address the massive scale and urgency of the ongoing problem. The bad effects of these shrinking footpaths are quite clear and far-reaching across society. They hurt public health in multiple ways because people walk less often for exercise or necessity, rely excessively on private cars and bikes, and cities become dirtier with increased air pollution from extra vehicles. While the government does have various plans, Smart City projects, and initiatives in place to improve infrastructure, they often fail to deliver real, tangible results on the ground due to poor coordination. Courts continue to demand thorough audits, regular checks, and dedicated regulated areas for sellers to operate fairly. Some cleanup operations do provide much-needed temporary relief and hope to residents, but sustained, long-term efforts with community involvement are essential for creating lasting change that benefits everyone.

To address this properly and for good, officials need to start by strictly following and applying all current rules without making any exceptions or delays. They should also quickly set up well-organized areas for vendors, especially in Jammu's busy markets, with basic amenities like water and shelter. Additionally, practical improvements such as installing bright streetlights for safety at night, adding smooth ramps for easier access, and fixing all damaged areas on time should be done everywhere without any excuses. Most importantly, future city planning should always consider walkers and pedestrians from the start of every project. This means using Smart City funds in Jammu and Kashmir more effectively and specifically to build strong, lasting infrastructure.

Finally, local media campaigns, social media drives, and public awareness programs can help raise consciousness, build strong community pressure, and hold officials accountable for real progress. In end, Jammu and Kashmir, can become much nicer, safer, and more livable if footpaths are properly restored, protected, and maintained as a top priority. Every single walker, from young students to senior citizens, deserves this basic human right without compromise, so there should be no more excuses or delays in taking bold, immediate action to make it happen.