Is it safe to cross the road?

Of late, I struggled to cross the road at Lalchowk. It felt as if generations would pass on without me finding myself on the other side of it. The rush of vehicles passing and the sound of “Puu-Puu” on one side, and me and a couple of others on the other—frustratingly disoriented. While the former might have reasonably reached their destinations in time, we helplessly wasted minutes and waited for divine intervention to put a pause on it.

Lal Chowk is as important for the government officers always on the run and influential businessmen as it is for the local populace, who prefer legs to vehicles. There are as high chances of a car bumping into another car and of buses shrieking at other buses and thus moving along and proceeding as there are lower chances of the human legs taking a tiny step. You are slightly careless with your legs; you could be doomed—right in the middle of the road! Even then it seems nobody would show up to stop the cars and take the dead body to someplace, frankly speaking.

Other areas aren’t immune to this persistent issue. Similar situations could be found almost everywhere where the public exchanges occur. Nowhatta, for instance.

Whereas the traffic police are employed here and there at critical junctions to manage traffic, there appears to be no one employed to stop traffic and let the walkers (students, children, ladies, etc.) step ahead to cross to the other side of the road. This failure to have avenues for pedestrians to safely cross the road points to the immediate need to devise a mechanism to avoid preventable accidents.

The government of the day is trying to take good steps in ensuring the welfare of the state. Fare-free buses for women, say. But more needs to be done. Zebra crossings are to be put in place, to cite an example, and the traffic police ensuring compliance. That much we can afford, if not proper “activity mapping” of the area and the city’s overhaul.

Postscript: Human legs hope not to get crushed and wet with blood by vehicles next time