Editorial photo #14012899 Human Interest

India's Supreme Court Declares Safe Footpaths A Fundamental Right, Calls For Legal Framework To Protect Pedestrians

People walk on a pedestrian footpath along a street in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 27, 2026. India's Supreme Court has ruled that the right to walk safely on a footpath is a fundamental right protected under the Constitution, in a judgment expected to shape future urban planning and road safety policies. The ruling came in a case involving the death of a five-year-old child who was struck by a tanker in an area without a footpath or pedestrian crossing. The court held that authorities have a duty to provide safe pedestrian infrastructure wherever roads exist and called for a dedicated legal framework to safeguard pedestrians across the country. The judgment is expected to have implications for road design, urban infrastructure and pedestrian safety in India. (Photo by Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto)