Despite gross under use of the existing skywalks, the BBMP is planning to build 40 more, most of them on four-lane streets where walkers are unlikely to use them much. Road safety experts insist that skywalks should be built only on arterial roads.
It is reliably learnt that the civic body plans to build these foot overbridges (FOBs) under a public-private partnership by granting advertisement rights to the company that builds and maintains the bridges.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has followed a similar model in the past but locations for these skywalks were chosen to make advertisements visible rather than help pedestrians, best exemplified by the skywalk on Mysuru Road.
Of the 40 new skywalks, BBMP officials insist that a majority of them were selected based on the suggestions given by the city traffic police. “We have sent the list of locations for the approval of the chief commissioner,” an official in the road infrastructure division said.
Some of the roads where the skywalks are proposed are not wide stretches that pedestrians struggle to cross. Examples include Millers Road (near Khadriya Masjid), Wheeler Road (Near Thom’s Bakery), Residency Road (Bishop Cotton Girls’ School), Trinity Circle (Near 1MG Mall and near Bank of Baroda), near Mount Carmel College, Palace Road, and Old Madras Road (near EMC Square Tech Park), among others.
Sanjeev Dyamannavar, member of the advocacy group Praja RAAG, said the criteria of skywalk location was compromised. “The locations are chosen with an aim to provide maximum advertisement view,” he said.
The civic body’s priority must be to provide safe crossing at the grade or road level, for which road safety experts suggest speed-calming before or at the crossing location by way of speed breakers, raised crossings or signalised
crossings.
“The Indian Road Congress suggests that foot overbridges should be given the least priority when providing for pedestrian crossings as they increase the total crossing distances and it takes additional effort for pedestrians to climb up and down,” said Chetan Sodaye, Senior Programme Associate (Transport) at WRI India Ross Center. “FOBs can be considered for arterial roads (urban highways), where the need for uninterrupted vehicular traffic is prioritised,” he said.
Some good, most unused
Out of the existing 50 plus skywalks, those on the busy Outer Ring Road are popular among pedestrians. While a majority of the skywalks remain unused, there are some that are well-maintained by the private agency that has been given advertisement rights.
A spot visit showed the skywalk near the BWSSB head office on KG Road was well-maintained, except for a few urinal spots on the bridge. The lift was working but pedestrians were seen walking across the road. At least three bridges on Mysuru Road were scarcely used.
The skywalk near Baptist Hospital, well-maintained with a functional elevator, was used by pedestrians often, but the FOB built near Esteem Mall a few yards away was draped in garbage with a foul smell filling the stairways. Pedestrians were also seen using the skywalk near the Bangalore Cantonment railway station.
The new structures will come up at...
Queen’s Road (near Cubbon Park metro station)
Kempegowda Circle
Millers Road (near Khadriya Masjid)
Old Madras Road (near Kadiranapalya bus stop)
B Narayanapura bus stop (ORR)
Hennur Cross (near Reliance Fresh)
Thubarahalli bus stop (Varthur main road)
ORR (near Mantri Sarovar Apartment)
Whitefield Main Road (Prestige Shantiniketan Apartment)
Tumakuru Road (near People Tree Hospital)
Doddaballapur Main Road (opposite California Resort)
Vatalnagar Road (near RRR junction)
KG Road (near Pothys)
Magadi Road (near Sunkadakatte bus stop)
ORR (Modern Bread Factory)
Tank Bund Road (near ETA Mall)
Wheeler Road (near Thom’s Bakery)
Goraguntepalya junction
Jalahalli (near Mother Teresa School)
Tumakuru Road (near Vaishnavi Sapphire Mall)
Residency Road (Bishop Cotton Girls’ School)
HBR Layout along ORR (near forest office)
Hosakerehalli (near PES College)
Whitefield Main Road (near Phoenix Mall)
Lalbagh West Gate Junction, Basavanagudi
Dharmambudhi Tank Bund Road (near BMTC bus stand)
Kamakshipalya (near Chowdeshwari bus stand)
Old Madras Road (near EMC Square Tech Park)
Hennur (near Navajeeva Ashrama)
Kalyan Nagar along ORR (near Croma store)
Trinity Circle (near 1MG mall)
Trinity Circle (near Bank of Baroda)
West of Chord Road
Near Soap Factory junction
Near Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Circle (Majestic)
Near Mount Carmel College, Palace Road
Kottigepalya, Magadi Main Road
Sarjapur Road (near Fire Station)
Doddakannelli (near Wipro Corporate Office)