Nagpur: In a significant step toward building safer, more inclusive streets, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in collaboration with ITDP India released the Nagpur Urban Streets Assessment Report on Monday, July 7. The comprehensive study evaluates the usability, safety, and accessibility of the city’s walking and cycling infrastructure, offering evidence-based recommendations for improvement.

The report, structured in two parts—impact assessment of redesigned streets and situational analysis of current street conditions—focuses on seven road stretches across Nagpur. These include redesigned corridors such as Wardha Road A (Ajni Square to Rahate Colony) and Orange City Street, as well as non-redesigned roads like Central Bazaar, Ring Road, and Shankarnagar.

Using a triangulated methodology of design, observation, and perception surveys—330 citizens were surveyed between March and September 2024—each street was rated out of 30 points.

Top and Bottom Performers

• Wardha Road A emerged as the top performer with a total score of 24.75/30, praised for its dedicated non-motorised transport (NMT) zones and pedestrian infrastructure.
• Ring Road and Central Bazaar Road ranked lowest with scores of 6.5 and 6.75, respectively, due to discontinuous footpaths, encroachments, and lack of cycling tracks.

Vasumna Pant, IAS, Additional Municipal Commissioner, said, “This report provides a clear roadmap to guide future street development. We are committed to transforming Nagpur’s roads into safer and more accessible spaces for all citizens.”

Key Survey Findings

• Wardha Road A saw 100% pedestrian footpath usage and 80% positive feedback on safety and walkability.
• Ring Road, despite lacking cycle tracks, recorded the highest cyclist volume (160/hour), emphasizing urgent infrastructure needs.
• Overspeeding was flagged as a critical issue, with peak speeds of up to 75 km/h on roads like Amravati Road and Orange City Road, exceeding safe urban design norms.
• Unsafe crossings, poor junction designs, and inadequate lighting emerged as other major concerns, particularly impacting children and elderly pedestrians.

Actionable Recommendations for NMC

The report outlines several initiatives already underway, along with proposed reforms:

1. Dedicated Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy
2. City-wide NMT Network Plan
3. Traffic Calming Policy with defined road speeds and interventions
4. Urban Street Design Guidelines for consistency across agencies like PWD, NMC, and NIT
5. Implementation of Safe School Zones to protect young pedestrians

Pranjal Kulkarni, Programme Manager at ITDP India, emphasized, “Over 80% of citizens on Wardha Road felt safer after redesign. That shows what’s possible when we prioritise people over vehicles.”

The Nagpur Urban Streets Assessment Report acts as both a diagnostic tool and a strategic blueprint. By identifying what works and what doesn’t, NMC is now better equipped to build a pedestrian-first city.

Siddhartha Godbole, Senior Associate, ITDP India, added, “Even on redesigned roads, many still feel unsafe while crossing. This assessment is a call to action—to fix gaps through thoughtful design, strong policy, and on-ground execution.”

As Nagpur continues to urbanize rapidly, this report offers a critical framework to help the city evolve into a safer, more sustainable, and people-centric urban space.