Supreme Court Mandates Encroachment-Free Footpaths for Pedestrians

The Supreme Court directed the Union government on August 3, 2026, to ensure that urban areas provide pedestrians with broad, clearly-marked, and encroachment-free footpaths.

Justice P.S. Narasimha, heading the Bench, reiterated the June 19, 2026, ruling that the right to walk on maintained footpaths is a fundamental right overriding motorized vehicle privileges.

The court order follows a tragic incident where a five-year-old boy was killed by a truck while walking to school, prompting the judiciary to enforce pedestrian safety as a state duty.