Safe footpath campaign in Bengaluru receives an unexpected Norwegian push

On Wednesday, as the ‘Safe Footpath’ campaign was launched, a group of people got a taste of Bengaluru’s footpaths. Unknown to the civic administration, a run had been organised for a delegation from the Norwegian Embassy along a six-kilometre stretch of footpaths winding through a scenic part of the Garden City.

Leading the group was May-Elin Stener, Norway’s Ambassador to India and a strong proponent of public transport, who often uses public transport in Delhi. In March 2026, she had posted on X that the Delhi Metro was a “fantastic way to get around in Delhi.”

Nearly one-and-a-half years ago, Ms. Stener had explored Bengaluru on a walk led by Arun Pai, founder of Bangalore Walks. Seeking a similar experience for her compatriots, she reached out to Mr. Pai, who in turn arranged for the senior Norwegian delegation an appointment with the city’s footpaths.

The group included Bård Vegar Solhjell, former Norwegian Minister of Environment; Jens Frølich Holte, former Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Sindre Sættem, Strategic Adviser.

The run began around 7.45 a.m. at Trinity Circle and covered parts of the Halasuru Lake frontage, St. John’s Road, Commercial Street, Shivajinagar, and Cubbon Park before concluding at Vidhana Soudha around 9 a.m.

It was something of a sightseeing tour, one spotlighting Bengaluru’s diversity in terms of parks, lakes, institutions, architecture and places of worship.

In the video shared with The Hindu, May-Elin Stener is heard saying the run in the pleasant Bengaluru climate was a welcome relief from Delhi’s heat. The Norwegians complimented the city’s air quality, weather and good footpaths.

Mr. Pai says he usually does an extensive recce before conducting a walk. On this occasion, he had to settle for a hurried study of the route, but the experience, as reported by the Norwegians, belied the lack of elaborate preparation. Officials were informed about a few pockets of the footpath that needed attention.

Under Project Walkaluru, a joint initiative of GBA and citizens aimed at identifying and promoting walkable footpaths across Bengaluru, this was one of the first stretches to be covered. Mr. Pai added, “Our first walk was on the same route, covering 11 km, where many repairs had been carried out. Seven months later, it is good to see that those repairs have sustained, and Walkaluru has played a role in it.”