City planners and environment activists on Tuesday observed that improving the city’s footpaths can play a major role in reducing road accidents and air pollution.
Addressing a seminar on improving the environment for pedestrians, Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) general secretary M Ansar Hossain said an improved network of footpaths across the city can reduce vehicular communication and thus can ensure a much purer air for the citizens.
About 76 percent of the commuting in the city is done within a very short distance of 5 kilometres – half of it within a 2-km distance, and the vehicular movement within the distance can reduce if there are facilities for pedestrians, said Maruf Rahman, national advocacy officer of Work for Better Bangladesh Trust (WBB Trust).
Besides improving the footpaths in the city, there is a need for building awareness about the health benefit of pedestrianism, he stressed. Speakers also noted that inadequate facilities for pedestrians as well as lack of awareness about traffic rules can cause 50 percent of deaths in road accidents.
The seminar was jointly organised by BIP and WBB Trust at BIP auditorium. – UNB
