I hear people complain often about how we need more sidewalks in our region. True enough; there are gaps in many areas of our sidewalk system and some existing sidewalks are cracked and broken. Mumbai, India has the the same complaint, only for a different reason. They have plenty of pedestrians and not enough sidewalks.
There are approximately 15 million walking trips around Mumbai EVERY DAY. That’s because the majority of the households there earn less than $100 a month, making walking the sole means of travel.
For all the pedestrians though, there’s little pedestrian infrastructure. In fact, a walkability index for Indian cities scored a ridiculously low average. The Atlantic Cities takes a look at just how bad things are and how a handful of walking advocates are working to change conditions.