Bhubaneswar: Despite a Supreme Court ruling that the right to walk is part of citizens’ fundamental right to life and free movement, pedestrians, especially senior citizens, in the city are forced to expose themselves to the serious safety risk of walking on busy roads because of encroachment of footpaths by parked cars and motorcycles.In June, Supreme Court had asked the Centre to enact a law mandating well-demarcated footpaths on every road to ensure pedestrian safety.Residents said footpaths meant to provide safe walking space are increasingly being occupied by vehicles, leaving little room for pedestrians. “The problem is particularly visible along Patia-Damana and Patia-KIIT Square stretches,” said Sujit Kumar Nayak of Patia.Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das said the civic body is evicting vendors encroaching on footpaths. “We are also stopping illegal parking on footpaths. Necessary steps are being taken to ensure that footpaths are used by pedestrians,” she said.Senior citizens said they are especially vulnerable, as many depend on footpaths for morning walks and daily activities. “With parked vehicles blocking designated walking space, people are forced to move onto the carriageway, where they have to navigate fast-moving cars, buses and two-wheelers,” said retired bureaucrat Prasanna Mishra, a resident of Kalpana, criticising police for failing to take swift enforcement action. “Supreme Court directives exist but are not being implemented effectively,” he said.Commuters also alleged that some motorcyclists use footpaths as shortcuts, especially during peak traffic hours. “Two-wheelers are also seen entering wrong-side lanes to avoid congestion, increasing the risk of collisions with pedestrians and vehicles moving in the correct direction,” said Susanta Sahoo, a resident of Pokhariput.Residents of Unit-2 and Master Canteen said such violations not only inconvenience pedestrians but also point to a lack of regular enforcement. They urged traffic police and civic authorities to conduct frequent inspections, remove illegally parked vehicles and take action against motorists driving on footpaths or using wrong-side lanes.“The stretches around Patia, Damana, KIIT Square and Nandan Vihar witness heavy traffic due to residential areas, educational institutions, commercial establishments and commuter movement. The rising vehicle volume has added pressure on limited road space, making footpath encroachment more serious. Accidents also occur at times,” said Manoj Samanataray of Sailashree Vihar.Residents said authorities should ensure that footpaths remain free of obstructions. They also suggested clearly marked parking spaces, signboards and barricades at vulnerable points to prevent motorists from entering pedestrian areas.They called for stricter monitoring during morning hours, when senior citizens, joggers and other pedestrians use these stretches.