The constitutional framing is what makes this more than an infrastructure circular. In S. Rajaseekaran vs Union of India, decided on 7 October 2025, the Supreme Court recognised safe and obstruction-free footpaths as part of the Right to Life under Article 21. That converts footpath quality from a discretionary municipal service into a matter of fundamental rights, which is why the policy pairs design standards with statutory accountability rather than leaving compliance to local practice. The numbers explain the urgency: of 1,72,890 road accident deaths in India in 2023, pedestrians accounted for 35,221 — roughly one in five, in a category of road user who contributes nothing to the hazard. The universal accessibility element is the policy's second strand, since tactile indicators, Braille, audible signals and wheelchair ramps address the reality that an obstructed footpath excludes disabled pedestrians from public space altogether rather than merely inconveniencing them.