Walking on Delhi’s streets has become life-threatening, MCD made parking by missing 44% footpath; Walking on Delhi’s streets has become life-threatening; the MCD has converted 44% of the footpaths into parking spaces.

A very scary and disturbing news has come to light for the pedestrians in the country’s capital Delhi. The footpaths made for safe walking on the roads are now gradually disappearing from Delhi. In a recent and shocking report, it has been sensationally revealed that about 44 percent of the roads in Delhi now have no space left for pedestrians. The most surprising thing is that the Municipal Corporation (MCD), which was responsible for keeping these footpaths safe, has converted them into ‘Paid Parking’ slots in order to earn revenue. The people of Delhi are suffering the consequences of this gross negligence of the administration by sacrificing their lives.

649 pedestrians lost their lives in the year 2025

Illegal encroachments on footpaths and converting them into parking lots are directly impacting Delhi’s law and order situation and road accidents. According to statistics, in the year 2025, 649 pedestrians, who were forced to walk on the roads due to lack of footpaths on the roads of Delhi, lost their lives in road accidents. When people do not find safe footpaths to walk, they are forced to walk on the main road amidst heavy traffic, where they are hit by speeding vehicles. This problem has now become a deadly crisis in densely populated areas like Kashmiri Gate, Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi.

Serious questions raised on MCD’s ‘paid parking’ policy

Local residents and RWAs allege that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the local administration, in collusion with builders and parking mafias, have completely violated the rights of pedestrians. In many major markets and residential areas like Lajpat Nagar, Outer Circle of Connaught Place and many parts of South Delhi, the footpaths have been painted yellow and vehicles are allowed to park there and in return thick slips are being cut. According to the rules, footpaths should be safe only for pedestrians, but in Delhi these rules are limited to paper only.

What does the law say about the bad roads of Delhi?

Despite many strict guidelines of the High Court and the Supreme Court, this condition of the roads of Delhi raises a big question mark on the functioning of the local administration. Traffic wing and road safety experts of Delhi Police believe that unless the footpaths are completely made encroachment free and illegal paid parking is stopped, it is impossible to stop these accidents. The citizens of Delhi demand that the roads should be made safe for walking so that no innocent person has to lose his life in future.