# Broken footpaths force Bengaluru pedestrians onto busy roads 2026-08-21T00:57:12+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Pedestrians on Old Airport Road between Marathahalli and Kundalahalli Gate in Bengaluru are being forced to walk on the carriageway due to a series of obstructions on the footpath. The problem is worst near Kundalahalli Gate underpass, where a commercial complex has enclosed a section of the footpath within its compound, citing pending land compensation. Residents said the stretch also suffers from waterlogging, parked and moving two-wheelers, tangled cables, Bescom equipment and a bus shelter. One resident said poor pedestrian infrastructure forces people to use cars even for short distances, contributing to traffic congestion. Another resident recalled an elderly man suffering a head injury after being hit by a bike while walking near the spot. The stretch is part of the 19.5 km high-density corridor project being undertaken by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-Smile). A B-Smile assistant executive engineer said he has written to Bengaluru East City Corporation authorities about the issue, but faces hurdles from property owners and influential locals. He said the responsibility for clearing encroachments rests with corporation officials. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This is not an isolated case. Bengaluru's pedestrian infrastructure has been criticised for years, with multiple High Court orders directing the civic body to clear footpaths. The stretch on Old Airport Road is part of a high-density corridor project that is meant to improve traffic flow, but ground-level obstructions remain unresolved because land acquisition compensation disputes are common in such projects. The affected area connects residential zones to Whitefield, a major IT hub, meaning thousands of commuters face this daily. The next key date to watch is when the corporation responds to B-Smile's letter, as further delay could lead to a public interest litigation. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Leads with pedestrian hardship and quotes residents blaming authorities for inaction on encroachments and infrastructure failures This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: B-Smile, BBMP, Bengaluru, Old Airport Road, Whitefield Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/broken-footpaths-force-bengaluru-pedestrians-onto-busy-roads/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/broken-footpaths-force-bengaluru-pedestrians-onto-busy-roads/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/