Kochi's poorly placed zebra crossings endanger pedestrians, residents demand better planning

Residents and activists in Kochi are raising concerns over the haphazard placement of zebra crossings across the city's key roads. Many markings are positioned away from high-footfall intersections, in front of bus stops, or at locations lacking proper footpath access. Some crossings even have utility poles and transformers obstructing them.

Local resident Mansoor Naina highlighted a crossing in Thoppumpady near a bus station serving Ernakulam-bound vehicles. He noted that pedestrians using it face buses waiting at the stop, blocking motorists' views and creating collision risks. Naina cited a recent incident where a student narrowly escaped being hit by a vehicle. He called for urgent installation of traffic signals or deployment of traffic police at such locations.

Lawyer and activist C L Ebenezer cited Pallimukku Junction as another example, where a crosswalk is positioned 15 metres behind a traffic signal, causing confusion during traffic build-up. Authorities are being urged to adopt scientific planning for future zebra crossing installations.