Skywalk on escalator

Skywalk on escalator

BBMP to install such pedestrian-friendly skywalks on eight important roads

SUCHITH KIDIYOOR



Crossing some busy roads in Bangalore will soon be a cakewalk for pedestrians: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is all set to install skywalks that are equipped with escalators.
To start with, these escalatorfitted skywalks will come up over eight important roads including the Old Airport Road near Marathalli junction and Hosur Road near Forum Mall - -- where pedestrian movement is quite high. "We have had skywalks installed in some parts of the city, but they are grossly under-utilised as pedestrians think that climbing the stairs is a herculean task and physically tiring. To overcome this, we decided to go in for skywalks," BBMP officials said.
IDEA FROM SCOTLAND
Commenting on the project, Jayaprasad, a senior advisor to BBMP, said: "Existing skywalks are not pedestrian-friendly and are seldom used by pedestrians. To save on time and energy, pedestrians are putting themselves at risk by preferring to jump over the railings in the middle of the road instead of using the stairs of the skywalks. But with escalators, all that people have to do is stand there and see themselves moving up."
He said the idea of skywalks with escalators were inspired from the pedestrian crossing system in Scotland. BBMP officials consulted professors of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, to ascertain the feasibility of the project in the city.
NOD FOR 2 PACKAGES
Following this, the BBMP identified 56 spots in the city and categorised them into 14 packages. Of these, two packages have been approved and two companies have applied for the tender. These skywalks will come up under the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model. The companies will build the skywalks with escalators and will get the right to operate for 10 years. They can make use of the space available for advertisements but cannot charge pedestrians for using it. Each skywalk would cost an average of Rs 2 crore.
POLICE LAUD MOVE
The move has enthused the traffic police as it would reduce the accident rate. "Pedestrians are an endangered species in the city", a police officer said and added that these skywalks would comes as a respite for pedestrians. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East) Sreenivas said: "In the city, more than 50 per cent of the accidents involve pedestrians. The BBMP's move has to be lauded as it comes at a time when road-widening works are being taken up. In my jurisdiction, there are some roads like Old Madras Road and Madiwala Road where pedestrians are at high risk."
Skyways better than subways: Expert
Traffic expert M N Sreehari says the skywalks are better than subways. In the city, pedestrians hesitate to use subways because of various reasons. The subways are not maintained properly, street vendors occupy most of the space.
USER-FRIENDLY
He said in countries like Singapore, pedestrians are made to walk on skywalks to cross the road. The skywalks there are more userfriendly when it comes to accessibility and operation. In the city after building these skywalks with escalators, it should be made compulsory for pedestrians to use them.
Sreehari said there are some skywalks at places like Jayanagar 4th Block, Richmond Road, Seshadri Road and ISKCON temple road but these are hardly used by pedestrians. The irony is each of these skywalks has been built at a cost of Rs 70-80 lakh.
WHERE THEY WILL COME UP
Skywalks with escalators will come up at: KH Road near Corporation Bank bus stop Hosur Road "T" junction with Tavarekere main road (opposite high rise apartments condominium) Mission Road, at the foot of the flyover Magadi Road, near Housing Board Colony bus stop In between junction of Ring Road and 15th Main, Banashankari II Stage Airport Road, Marathalli Road Airport Road, Marathalli at Junction of underpass ORR KR Puram bus stand in front of BBMP office