One of the most common sights in any city around the world is the urban sidewalk. You may not think much about sidewalks, but they play an important role!
Sidewalks do a great thing for pedestrians. They allow us to get to where we need to be while also reducing our risk of becoming roadkill! It's a brilliant concept, but these cement saviors aren't the same everywhere you go.
Like any city back in the U.S., no part of town is quite the same as another. In Bengaluru, there are areas which have smoothly paved roads and sidewalks, while in other parts of town it's not so good. Many of Bengaluru's sidewalks have been reduced to rubble from heavy pedestrian (and yes, motorist) activity. When you combine that with the way Bengaluru deals with waste and construction work, you get sidewalks that are more akin to obstacle courses.
Bengaluru's sewage system is designed such that sewage and run-off flows underneath the sidewalk. To allow easy access for municipial workers, sidewalks are made out of rows of concrete slabs. It's a great idea in one sense as it allows workers to access most points of the city's sewage system, but it's also tricky to maintain. I've frequently encountered missing and broken slabs.
