Escalators to be installed at eight spots in city

Escalators to be installed at eight spots in city


Express News Service
First Published : 08 Oct 2008 08:11:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 08 Oct 2008 11:42:45 AM IST

BANGALORE: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has already constructed a few subways.

Now, the Palike plans skywalks with escalators to check road accidents that involve pedestrians. It is expected that the escalators will make more people use the skywalks.

About 57 ideal locations for the elegant skywalks have been identified. Wherever there is no scope for the subway, a skywalk has been planned, according to BBMP sources. The skywalks will offer safe spaces for pedestrians, it will also be an opportunity to cash in on advertising revenue.

Though plans for skywalks with escalators were first mooted a couple of years ago, the project has now been designed. The BBMP has called for tenders for eight skywalks in various locations. The work on 57 locations will occur in a phased manner: eight of these will be in the first phase, expected to start in the next few days.

However, the Palike will not have to dig into its own resources for the construction of these skywalks; they are to be built by private operators who will get the contracts on a ‘built-operate-transfer’ basis. All the Palike offers these operators is land. “The operator, who will install the escalator, will be allowed to advertise on the skywalks till his term ends. The term is expected to last approximately 10 years. After that, the operator will be expected to hand over the structure to the Palike,” explained a senior BBMP official.

Each skywalk will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 3 cr. The locations have been identified based on traffic density and pedestrian flow. Along with escalators, there will also be provision for steps in case of emergency. Prakash Arts and Lakshya Media have come forward to constuct the skywalks in the first phase.

There are certain other conditions that operators will have to adhere to; in case they fail in these, the BBMP could take away the the maintenance of the structures from them at any time. Among the conditions imposed on the operators is a clause that requires them to attend to technical problems and complaints within 48 hours, said an official.