India, May 24 -- As part of my daily routine, I set out for my evening walk in the neighbourhood park, barely five minutes from my home. My journey to the park is more of an obstacle walk that keeps me mentally agile as I navigate the constant flow of traffic and encroachments on the way.

The park has a well-maintained circular track, but sadly, there is no pavement in the residential area to reach it. The moment I step out of my gate, I am thrust into a busy lane where a vehicle brushes past every few seconds. There is no footpath to retreat to. The public space that once belonged to pedestrians has been swallowed by an undeclared, chaotic car park.

In the good old days, there were fewer cars, not more than one car per family, all safe...