Walking on Roads Without Sight

It is a night with new moon, and the stars are not visible due to pollution. Your bus drops you at a bus stop, and you start walking towards your home. Suddenly, the streetlights go off, and there is no source of light around you. To make things worse, your mobile battery is drained, so you cannot even use the torch on your phone.

You take a turn, and without any warning, your leg gets stuck in an open drain that you never noticed. You manage to pull yourself out, but your legs, shoes, and socks are now dirty. You feel shaken, but you continue walking.

A little further ahead, by mistake, you step on a sleeping street dog. Just imagine what could happen next.

Feeling scared, my friend?

These are not imaginary situations. These are the kinds of challenges many of us face every day. And these are just a few examples. There are many more such experiences that I would like to highlight, one by one, in this article.

I use a white cane to move independently. It helps me detect obstacles in front of me, but it cannot protect me when the surroundings are unsafe or unpredictable. On many Indian roads, the biggest challenge begins with footpaths—or rather, the lack of usable footpaths. In many areas, footpaths are broken, uneven, or suddenly disappear. Sometimes they end without warning, quietly pushing me onto the road.

And on the rare occasions when a footpath does exist, I find myself wondering—what is it actually meant for? Is it meant for walking, or for parking vehicles?

For a pedestrian like me, a footpath should be the safest place to walk. In reality, however, footpaths often serve multiple purposes: parking spaces for bikes and cars, spots for street vendors, storage areas for construction material, or locations for electric poles, signboards, garbage bins, and temporary stalls. At times, they are dug up for repairs and left unfinished, with no warning and no alternate path.

When the footpath is missing—or no longer walkable—I am forced to step onto the road. Walking alongside fast-moving vehicles puts my life at risk every single time. What should have been a simple and safe walk turns into a dangerous situation, simply because the footpath is not available for walking.

I understand that many people depend on shared roadside areas to earn livelihood, and parking is a common everyday challenge. Vendors and vehicle owners often use whatever space is available.

However, the issue is not about removing livelihoods or blaming individuals. The problem lies in the lack of proper planning. Footpaths are the only safe walking spaces for pedestrians. When they are occupied, people like me are forced onto the road, putting our lives at risk.

The solution is balance. Cities need designated vending zones, affordable parking spaces, and clear pedestrian pathways. When planning includes everyone—vendors, vehicle owners, and pedestrians—footpaths can remain walkable without affecting livelihoods.

Another important support for visually impaired pedestrians is tactile tiles. Unfortunately, I have rarely seen tactile tiles on Indian roads. In the few places where they do exist, they are often poorly designed or incorrectly placed. Sometimes they lead to obstacles instead of safe paths, and at other times they suddenly end without any guidance. When tactile tiles are not planned or maintained properly, they fail to serve their purpose and can even create confusion.

Talking about crossing roads, it is one of the most difficult tasks for me while walking. Vehicles rarely stop at zebra crossings, even when they are clearly marked. As a result, I often have to depend on strangers to help me cross, which takes away my independence. While I deeply appreciate the kindness of those who help, I wish I did not have to rely on others for something as basic as crossing a road. I wish we had audible pedestrian signals that could guide visually impaired people while crossing the road. A simple sound indicating when it is safe to cross would allow me to move independently, without guessing traffic movement or waiting for help. Such signals are used in many countries and have proven to be effective.

Another challenge I face while walking is dealing with street dogs. I still remember how scary it was when my partner and I, both visually impaired, were surrounded by four or five barking dogs in a narrow lane. While others may not find this frightening, for me it was overwhelming, especially when dog bite incidents are so common.

I am still trying to think of a practical solution for this, and I would welcome suggestions from readers.

And you know what? I have, on several occasions, soiled my shoes with cow dung while walking to my office. It becomes an extremely embarrassing situation for me, especially when I realise it only after reaching my workplace.

Thankfully, over time, I have noticed that such situations have reduced in many urban areas, which is a positive change. However, still issue persist in semi-urban and rural areas.

There are days when even familiar roads become difficult to walk on, especially when they are unpaved or full of potholes during the rains. Water-filled pits, muddy surfaces, and uneven ground are hard to detect and significantly increase the risk of slipping or falling. My cane cannot always identify these hazards in time.

Proper road surfacing, timely repair of potholes, and effective drainage can greatly reduce these risks and make walking safer during the monsoon.

Open drains, uncovered manholes, and temporary barricades are another constant fear while walking. These obstacles are rarely marked in a way that a visually impaired person can detect in time. My cane may not always warn me early enough, and the risk of injury is very real.

Covering open drains and manholes, clearly marking temporary barricades, and providing safe alternate walking paths during road work can significantly reduce these risks.

Beyond physical safety, these road conditions have an emotional impact. Walking alone can feel exhausting and intimidating. There are days when I avoid going out unless it is absolutely necessary. Independence should bring confidence, but inaccessible roads often replace it with anxiety.

As I always say, accessibility benefits everyone, not just persons with disabilities. In the same way, accessible roads are not only important for people with disabilities. They help older adults, children, pregnant women, people with temporary injuries, and even those carrying luggage.

And if you think back to the beginning of this article, you may remember how a simple walk can quickly become difficult. When roads are accessible, they become safer, more usable, and more comfortable for everyone.

I am grateful for the support and kindness of the people around me. Still, walking on the road often requires courage instead of being a simple daily activity. I only wish walking could be easy and safe—after all, it is just a road, not a battleground.