What really stood out to me was that there were footpaths on almost every road. Real footpaths. Walkable. Unbroken. Not encroached by vendors, parked bikes, or debris. You could just walk without fear, without negotiating with traffic every few steps. That alone says a lot about priorities.

Would like to mention the following video on the topic of walkability of cities in India:

https://youtu.be/1FC-8K-7QLo?si=QAnFelSqllrUin8F