Walking isn’t safe: Two-wheelers hijack Guwahati footpaths, pedestrian safety hit

As morning settles over Guwahati’s Noonmati–Chandmari–Guwahati Club stretch, the area slowly comes alive - traffic inching forward, shop shutters lifting, dust rising gently from the road.

Pedestrians move with quiet caution, negotiating a space where the boundary between carriageway and footpath has steadily blurred. In several spots, footpaths double as motorable lanes, with two-wheelers zipping past unsuspecting walkers in attempts to escape the city’s relentless traffic.

For many residents, this has become an unsettling part of everyday life, leaving little room for complacency or comfort while walking through the area.

“Footpaths are no longer safe for us. You’re constantly looking over your shoulder; not for anything else but two-wheelers coming from behind,” said Pranab Kalita, a middle-aged office-goer who walks through the stretch daily.

A still from Chandmari area

What was once an occasional traffic violation has quietly turned into a routine practice across Guwahati. Two-wheelers, seeking to escape chronic congestion, are increasingly riding on footpaths, transforming pedestrian spaces into danger zones.

In busy localities such as Chandmari, Guwahati Club and Noonmati, already burdened by narrow roads and ongoing flyover construction, the problem is particularly acute.

Residents say the fear is constant, especially during peak hours. “You can’t let children walk alone anymore. Even on footpaths, there’s no guarantee of safety. Bikes suddenly appear, and there’s no space to move,” said Trishna Bordoloi, a resident of the Guwahati Club area.

Traffic police officials stationed along the Chandmari stretch acknowledge that the issue has intensified in recent months.

“With flyover construction underway and heavy traffic, bikers often take short routes along footpaths, raising serious safety concerns,” said a traffic police official.

Despite regular checks and warnings, enforcement remains a challenge. “We try our best to stop them, but many don’t pay heed. Even if one person listens, another repeats the same violation. This cannot be tackled by the police or government alone. People also need to avoid such behaviour,” the official added.

The consequences of footpath riding often extend beyond near misses. Accidents involving two-wheelers on pavements sometimes bring traffic to a standstill, worsening congestion along an already crowded corridor.

“Yes, sometimes people get injured, and that leads to more traffic in the area. But then the same thing repeats. What can we do?” the official said, reflecting the frustration faced by traffic personnel on the ground.

Pedestrians say the situation often forces them into unsafe choices. With footpaths encroached upon by bikes or damaged due to construction work, many are pushed onto the road, placing them directly in the path of fast-moving vehicles.

“Walking on the road feels risky, but at least drivers expect people there. On the footpath, bikes come silently from behind,” said Minoti Bora, an elderly resident of Noonmati.

Two-wheelers form a significant share of daily traffic in the city, making riders both vulnerable and, at times, contributors to unsafe road practices.

Speeding, wrong-side driving, lack of helmet use, and frequent violations of lane discipline remain common sights on Guwahati’s roads.

Along the Noonmati–Chandmari–Guwahati Club stretch, these risks are magnified by diversions, reduced road space, and poorly defined pedestrian pathways.

Some riders admit that frustration and time pressure drive such behaviour. “If I stay on the main road here, I’ll be stuck for at least 30 minutes. I know riding on the footpath is wrong, but traffic moves so slowly that people take chances,” said a delivery executive, requesting anonymity, near the Noonmati side of the stretch.

Residents, however, argue that convenience cannot come at the cost of safety. “Everyone is in a hurry, but why should pedestrians suffer? Footpaths are already few. If bikes take over that space too, where are we supposed to walk?” asked Niranjan, who runs a small kiosk along the Guwahati Club corridor.

As Guwahati continues to expand, flyover construction and infrastructure upgrades promise long-term relief but have created short-term challenges for commuters and pedestrians alike.

Along the Noonmati–Chandmari–Guwahati Club stretch, the absence of clear pedestrian protection measures during construction has further blurred the boundary between road and footpath.