A recent front page photograph of a dilapidated footbridge in the capital's Tikatuli comes as a wake-up call, depicting the deplorable condition of many footbridges in the capital and the danger they pose to pedestrians.

As it is, people are reluctant to use footbridges and would rather cross the busy main roads in hordes rather than walk and climb a few extra steps to get to the other side. So much so, that sometimes traffic police make announcements on the microphone asking people to use the bridges instead.

The encouragement from the city authorities, as well as the fact that many people do actually use them, however, increases the city's responsibility of making footbridges safe for pedestrians. On the contrary, they are at the least, dirty, and at their worst, dangerous. Broken in many places, muddy and slippery when it rains, they have actually caused people to fall off the steps. Sheets of hanging metal as depicted in the photograph also pose a threat to people passing under them. Dubious-looking characters up on the bridges discourage some people from climbing them. Add to that the congestion on the bridges themselves, with rows of vendors selling their wares on the footbridges and they become quite the hazard to public safety.

The city authorities must address a number of issues here. First is the location of footbridges and building them where they are needed most. Second is the construction. Judging from the poor state of the bridges, it is obvious that material and construction have been substandard and whether this is due to poor planning or corruption within the sector, it must be addressed. Finally, building bridges is not enoughthey must be maintained. The city authorities must monitor the footbridges for safety and cleanliness so that, instead of posing a threat to personal safety and hygiene, they make life safer