This pedestrian subway has it lucky

This pedestrian subway has it lucky
S Lalitha
The pedestrian subway at Krishna Rajendra Market Circle will run to a total length of 120 metres and have a walking width of nine metres, will link with the existing incomplete subway built over three decades ago.

The pedestrian subway at Krishna Rajendra Market Circle has been using a unique technology in its construction. Work on this Rs 590-lakh project, a joint venture between the City’s Maruti Construction and Malaysia’s Green Construction, is into its third week now.

The subway, that will run to a total length of 120 metres and have a walking width of nine metres, will link with the existing incomplete subway built over three decades ago.

“The new subway will be a boon for pedestrians. Those heading by foot to the bus stand from all the four sides— the City Market, Apsara theatre, Victoria Hospital and Chandra Bhavan will no longer need to cross the City Market Circle,” said A K Gopalaswamy, Chief Engineer (CE) of Projects, BBMP. It will also ease traffic flow.
Project manager Dominic from Malaysia said, “Pre-cast technology, which is popular in Malaysia, has been used for building the arch of the pedestrian subway.” This technology involves two steps done simultaneously. The concrete bed for the subway is prepared at the spot where the subway will come up while the arch is being readied separately at a cast yard near the Binny Mills road. Two moulds have been shipped from Malaysia for the purpose of creating the elements of the arch. Cushion filling with good earth will be done over the arch and it will be shifted to the bed later.

“The finish that the arch acquires using this technology adds quality to the work done,” said Lokesh, Assistant Executive Engineer, BBMP. In the subways constructed in the country so far, both the steps are carried out at the venue itself. Apart from the quality of the output, the other advantages are a reduction in time involved in the construction as well as a reduction in the public space used for the purpose, said Srinivas Babu, Assistant Engineer. Quality of the arch can be maintained only if the work is done in a separate yard, he added. ‘Sundaram Consultants’ has been appointed as the project’s consultant. “Altogether 12 metres of the subway will be completed within a week,” Gopalaswamy said.

The project has been given a 12-month deadline.