The Supreme Court has ruled that the right to walk on demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right, giving citizens priority over motorized vehicles on these paths.
The top court held that this right is integral to the right to movement guaranteed under Article 19(1)(d) and other fundamental rights, including Article 21 (right to life and liberty).
A bench of justices PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar ruled that a citizen's fundamental right to walk on a demarcated footpath is primary and shall have priority over movement by motorized vehicles.
The declaration came in an unfortunate motor accident compensation case where a father lost his five-year-old son while taking him to school.
The court directed the registry to send the judgment to the central ministries and law commission for initiating the necessary legal framework.
The top court said human beings have started walking long before wheels were put on the path and the primary right of movement under Article 19(1)(d) is the Fundamental Right to Walk.
The court enhanced the motor accident claim compensation to ₹11,44,628 lakh payable to the father of the deceased child within two months and set aside the high court order reducing it.
