In Telangana, the right to walk has been deliberately derailed

A parked two-wheeler and utility infrastructure encroach on the footpath near Ravindra Bharathi, the state cultural centre, forcing pedestrians to move on the narrowed footpath. | Photo credit: NAGARA GOPAL

You get off the Hyderabad metro station and go for a routine one kilometer walk. Within minutes, the walkway disappears under a series of obstacles. Parked SUVs block the road and broken pavement requires careful positioning as poles, cables, billboards and construction material crowd the route. In several places, pedestrians can choose between overcoming the mess and entering the road.

On the stretch between the Jubilee Hills Checkpost metro station and the entrance to the KBR National Park, an ordinary walk often becomes an exercise in vigilance.

Published – 26 Jun 2026 06:08 IST