Enhancing pedestrian mobility for the elderly is essential to building inclusive and sustainable cities
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Walkability, accessibility, and safety determine pedestrian mobility in cities, including for those who walk, run, jog, hike, or use mobility aids like wheelchairs, scooters, or canes. Walking promotes well-being, reduces emissions, and supports critical first- and last-mile connectivity when integrated with urban public transit systems. Moreover, Sustainable Development Goal 11.7 emphasises universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible public spaces, while promoting walkability, particularly for women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. This aligns with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 for reducing road traffic deaths by half by 2030.
Rapid urbanisation prioritises motorised transport over pedestrian needs, particularly impacting the elderly.
With 31 pedestrians killed every hour, pedestrian deaths account for 21 percent of global road fatalities, predominantly in urban areas. Moreover, rapid urbanisation prioritises motorised transport over pedestrian needs, particularly impacting the elderly. By 2050, 22 percent of the global population will be 60 or older. In India, their proportion will grow to 20 percent during the same period. Furthermore, in 2022, 17.4 percent of pedestrian fatalities in India comprised senior citizens, underscoring the need for safer infrastructure and mixed-use neighbourhoods.
Walkable environments enable healthy, active ageing, improve access to social networks and resources, and reduce isolation, contributing to enhanced mental well-being. Walking is often the non-motorised means of transport for the elderly to access healthcare and leisure activities. However, reduced mobility, weakened vision and hearing, cognitive decline, and fears of falling or isolation increase vulnerabilities further for senior citizens. Moreover, 92 percent of pedestrian deaths are known to occur in low- and middle-income countries. Cities in the Global South face additional challenges of poor infrastructure and inadequate social services, emphasising the urgency of safer infrastructure and improved mobility for elderly pedestrians.
In Mumbai, dense populations and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure contribute to high accident rates and limited mobility.
Badly designed sidewalks, uneven ramps and pavements, street vendors, and unregulated traffic worsen their movement. For instance, the growing elderly population in Mexico City faces increased risks given the uneven terrain, heavy traffic and insufficient pedestrian infrastructure. In Mumbai, dense populations and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure contribute to high accident rates and limited mobility. In São Paulo, the lack of accessible walkways and poorly enforced traffic laws make everyday tasks like walking to a market or crossing a street daunting. These urban challenges are especially heightened for seniors. The urban sprawl and socio-economic disparities of Johannesburg, coupled with the limited pedestrian infrastructure in South Africa’s peripheral areas, pose significant challenges for senior pedestrians.
Walking and cycling are essential, pollution-free forms of mobility. Technology can enhance safety perceptions by providing elderly pedestrians real-time updates on safe walking routes, weather alerts and traffic congestion. For example, in Singapore, where senior citizens are likely to make up 25 percent of its population by 2030. Its Smart Nation initiative offers smart traffic signals that adjust crossing times, Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping for real-time traffic monitoring, and wearable devices that provide updates on safe routes, weather, and congestion, enhancing safety and convenience. Silver Zones in elderly neighbourhoods have reduced speed limits, raised zebra crossings, and signage.
As cities age, such advancements are crucial in ensuring safer and more accessible urban environments for the elderly. For instance, Kochi, the first Indian city to join the World Health Organization’s Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC), renovated its Marine Drive Walkway with CCTVs, open seating, LED lighting, drainage and a native tree cover to create safe, inclusive and green walking spaces.
In India’s Chennai, the Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy, which aimed to improve access for the elderly and disabled, suffered because of poor implementation and fragmented pedestrian networks.
The United States Vision Zero initiative offers insights into improving elderly pedestrian mobility. Despite the ageing infrastructure, funding issues, and local opposition that slowed progress, New York City reduced pedestrian fatalities by 29 percent from 2014 to 2023 through traffic-calming measures. Conversely, the car-centric Los Angeles saw a 32 percent rise in deaths during the same period. In India’s Chennai, the Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy, which aimed to improve access for the elderly and disabled, suffered because of poor implementation and fragmented pedestrian networks. On the other hand, Tokyo’s barrier-free sidewalks, smart traffic signals, energy-generating walkways, and Barcelona’s “superblocks” create pedestrian-friendly areas by regulating speed limits and restraining motor traffic.
An age-integrated society aligned with India’s National Policy for Senior Citizens 2011 must encourage multi-stakeholder alliances by exchanging successful strategies and experiences. Such collaborations must prioritise the concerns of older individuals, especially women, to integrate mechanisms established by governments, civil society organisations, and senior citizen associations. Globally, networks such as the World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities, the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing and C40 Cities facilitate city partnerships to improve walkability and safety. Pune's Complete Streets initiative, with wide and barrier-free footpaths, and Bhubaneswar's MaaS- integrated pedestrian-friendly projects like Smart Janpath are models worth emulating.
Grassroots initiatives like community-led transport services can address the physiological and emotional concerns of the elderly. For example, Manila’s Age-Friendly City Programme enhances pedestrian safety with overpasses, wider sidewalks, and accessible public transport and encourages walkable communities through parks and green spaces. Jakarta's Pedestrian Programme focuses on elevated walkways while providing public seating and low-entry buses. Copenhagen has designed shared streets, or “woonerfs” to slow traffic and create a safer environment for pedestrians. Such initiatives cultivate mutual trust between the elderly and urban planners, creating a more inclusive environment. Additionally, community programmes involving seniors in local decision-making processes and developing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans can help prioritise their needs, fostering a greater sense of belonging.
Cities should establish standardised metrics to assess elderly pedestrian safety and accessibility by adapting frameworks like the Pedestrian Level of Service (PLOS) to include longer crossing times, resting areas, auditory signals, tactile marking, and access to services. The Walkability Index must assess factors such as proximity to essential services and continuous and well-lit sidewalks. Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) can offer user-friendly interfaces and real-time data on elevators and pedestrian facilities. Implementing performance recognition schemes can incentivise cities to enhance infrastructure, and leveraging IoT and connected devices can provide real-time updates and remote access to services, improving safety for seniors and people with disabilities. However, while NMT initiatives can enhance mobility for the elderly in India, they must be carefully planned. For example, despite its improvements, Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project has encountered accessibility issues, safety hazards, and a lack of awareness.
Implementing performance recognition schemes can incentivise cities to enhance infrastructure, and leveraging IoT and connected devices can provide real-time updates and remote access to services, improving safety for seniors and people with disabilities.
Integrating assistive technologies from the design phase, including features like tactile paving, audio signals at crossings, and smart traffic systems, can aid navigation for seniors and people with disabilities. Promoting smart walking canes, eye-tracking technologies, GPS-enabled wearables, and mobility apps can provide physical support, route guidance, and real-time updates. However, ensuring digital literacy and accessibility of city services will be crucial for broadening participation.
Singapore is integrating technologies and customisable digital interfaces into its public transport, cultural venues, and public spaces, ensuring accessibility for all. Helsinki's subway uses audio beacons to provide blind and visually-impaired individuals with audio cues, helping them navigate stations and public transport independently. In India, Bengaluru has introduced smart traffic signals that adjust timing based on pedestrian movement, benefiting seniors who walk slower.
Cities should prioritise age- and gender-disaggregated data collection to effectively map elderly pedestrian movement, infrastructure quality and accident hotspots. Barcelona monitors high-risk pedestrian zones through CCTV surveillance and speed cameras. Further, cities can implement geo-tagged reporting systems to identify infrastructure issues like uneven sidewalks and inadequate crossings, enabling prompt remedial action. Georgia Tech's Automated Sidewalk Quality Assessment System uses an Android app to evaluate sidewalk conditions by collecting GPS-tagged video and sensor data. The semi-automated system identifies issues like cracks, potholes, and obstructions, reducing labour while ensuring consistent reviews. Such frameworks can help local governments review, improve and continuously monitor their sidewalk infrastructure.
Given the capacity constraints and resource crunch, the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) must urgently allocate resources and create capacity-building programmes to help the respective municipal departments change their approach to urban mobility through dedicated budgeting for installing ramps, wider sidewalks, and better signage. Central initiatives like India’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) must also address elderly pedestrian mobility. Researching the unique needs of elderly pedestrians will be crucial for identifying gaps in infrastructure. Cities like Ahmedabad, which have implemented age-friendly features like improved crossings and seating areas, serve as models.
The semi-automated system identifies issues like cracks, potholes, and obstructions, reducing labour while ensuring consistent reviews.
Enhancing pedestrian mobility for the elderly is essential to building inclusive and sustainable cities. Comprehensive urban planning that underlines pedestrian infrastructure can enable senior citizens to live independently and stay engaged with their communities. By addressing specific challenges and implementing learnings from existing frameworks, cities can create safe and accessible environments that support their physical and emotional well-being. Through collaboration, innovation, and targeted investments, cities can improve the quality of life for their ageing populations, creating more equitable, inclusive, and resilient urban spaces.
Anusha Kesarkar-Gavankar is a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation
Siddhi Joshi is a Research Intern at the Observer Research Foundation.
The authors are grateful to Dhaval Desai, Senior Fellow & Vice President, ORF for his insights.
The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.
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