HOT TOPICS
SPOTLIGHT AGENCIES
Pedestrian facility in Bangalore : May be worst in Indian Metros
Written By Sanjeev - 12 March, 2013
Bangalore Crossings Analysis Pedestrian Infrastructure Pedestrians footpaths
Look at how we want Public Transport either motorized or non motorized in Bangalore. Excpt the BMTC bus facility, Public Transport in case of Commuter Rail, Metro, Cycling and now Pedestrian facility, Bangaloe is doing very bad inspite of having spent huge money in 1000 crore to buy high end Buses for BMTC & costruct TTMC's
On Pedestrian facility, can we say in Bangalore this is particular road which is good interms of all Pedestrian aspects and can be used safely, has it encouraged / helped to make us of more Public Transport in Bangalore.
The recent subway opened at KR Market after 6 Years of Project :
The new pedestrian subway at the Krishna Rajendra (KR) Market was inaugurated on Monday by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.
The pedestrian subway, linking N R Road, Avenue Road, KR Road and Kalasipalya Road, has been constructed at a total cost of Rs six crore. Maruthi Constructions Private Limited Agency has executed the project. While the total length of the subway is 128 meters, its height is 3.3 meters.
Crossing the road, especially at N R Road, was a big headache. It took almost 15 to 20 minutes to reach the bus stop and go to the neighbouring roads. With this subway, we can now reach safely, without hassles.”
Besides helping pedestrians, the elderly people and those who want to reach nearby government hospitals such as Victoria Hospital, Minto Hospital, Vani Vilas Maternity and Children’s Hospital can do so easily through the subway.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/318147/kr-market-subway-opens-last.html
For such good benefit, why r the authorities / policy makers take long time to realise the importance of this.
Sky Walk on Bellary Road near the Indian Air Force ASC Centre on Gangenahalli Bellary Road :
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has taken up the construction of a skywalk near the Indian Air Force ASC Centre on Gangenahalli Bellary Road.
Mayor Venkatesh Murthy, who laid the foundation stone for the project on Sunday, explained that the skywalk is being built to help pedestrians avoid traffic-heavy Bellary Road. “Due to the increased vehicular movement on Bellary Road, people are unable to cross the road. As a result we decided to build a footbridge.
Even officials at the ASC raised the issue and urged us to take an initiative to ensure people’s safety. The project will be built on Design, Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (DBOOT) basis so as to avert any financial problems,” he said.
The pedestrian walkway, which will be 3 metres wide, will be laid with anti-skid tiles. BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah accompanied the Mayor.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/317924/skywalk-bellary-road.html
This was very much needed and they should provide two ramps on each side instead on ramp whch may not cost few more lakhs and this type of both will encourage pedestrians to use them better. This waht generally followed in Railway Stations.
Next place needed at K R Puram station, Bangalore Cant Station, Manytha Tech Park, NH-4 at Yesvantpur station, on MG Road, Hudson Circle
COMMENTS
Why it is tough going for pedestrians
Sanjeev - 12 March, 2013 - 11:42
As an expert put it: ‘What the pedestrians want is different from what the BBMP thinks they want. There is clearly a disconnect.
Kalamma Nanjundappa (50) rarely steps out of her home these days. This resident of Pipe Line Road, in Palace Guttahalli, was till recently a domestic worker in nearby homes in Vyalikaval. With her painful knees, she simply cannot negotiate the shattered footpaths that would force her to step down on the road and then up the footpath again.
Her case is just one example of the travails faced by pedestrians in a city that privileges motorists over walkers. Broken and pitted footpaths, if indeed there are any; severe shortage of zebra crossings and traffic crossings, unfriendly underpasses and skywalks... who is not familiar with these hazards in “world class” Bangalore?
The Union Ministry of Urban Development’s National Urban Transport Policy 2006 points to the declining role of non-motorised modes of transport as cities increase in size and density. Thus, access to livelihoods, particularly for the poor, is becoming far more difficult, simply because city travel has become risky. The impact is felt by the poor who figure more frequently among those killed or injured in hit-and-runs involving cyclists, pedestrians and pavement dwellers.
Vinay Sreenivasa from Hasiru Usiru, who conducted road-crossing experiments to highlight pedestrian problems, said: “The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) widens roads to accommodate more vehicles. To widen the roads, it chops the tree cover and reduces the width of footpaths. How can people walk on narrow footpaths without the shade of trees? These ‘development activities’ discourage pedestrians and encourage motorists.”
He then cited the examples of Seshadri Road and 15th Cross, Malleswaram, where trees were felled to widen these roads. Utter insensitivity to pedestrians has also made the former thoroughfare very difficult to cross.
senior BBMP official in the engineering department conceded that the 15,000 km footpath network in the city has been ignored, as the BBMP has not earmarked any “maintenance fund” over the past several years to repair roads and footpaths
Meanwhile, despite pedestrians shunning skywalks and underpasses, the BBMP proposes to construct 98 more skywalks across the city.
They end up providng onw dwon ramp on each side of the raod instead of two. Also height of FOB is real concern. Also roof cover from sun & rain is very much needed & these will attract more citizens to use them.
srinidhi - 19 March, 2013 - 12:45
would it work if the authorities are met first to enquire about their plans of handling pedestrians, if any that is..and then approach bodies like DULT if they can do anything and then if nothing works we can get to signing a petition..
Pictures and realistic number of pedestrians crossing at the peak hours etc could be used as data to support the petetion I suppose..
Hebbal railway station is a challenge to travellers
Sanjeev - 12 March, 2013 - 11:36
The Hebbal Railway station is an unofficial suburban rail for hundreds of IT professionals travelling to Electronic City. The station is also used by flower and vegetable vendorsfrom places like Salem and Hosur. The station may not have too many trains passing through, however, the four trains that stop here see hundreds of people embarking at the station. Yet, the station is in a pathetic condition.
It lacks basic amenities such as drinking water, toilets, foot overbridge and most importantly, the connectivity. Pedestrians have to walk along the track from below the Hebbal fly-over to the railway station. The route for the pedestrians reek of urine and garbage which makes it tough for them to approach the station.
“Approach to the station for people who come in from the city is the most difficult part. We face a hard time reaching the station from the main road, as it doesn’t have a proper walk lane. Nor is there a parking area for two-wheelers near the station,” said D Govindarajan, a frequent user of the trains from Hebbal.
The station also lacks an overbridge, posing serious risk to the commuters, considering that express trains that do not stop at the station, pass through at high speeds.
“It is tough for us to get to the platform on the other side of the tracks to catch a train, as there is no walk overbridge. We put our life on the line in crossing over to the other platform,” said Shridar, a passenger.
The platforms are too low, making climbing onto the trains a problem for passengers, especially the elderly, women and children and for passengers with a lot of luggage. The short length of the platform is an additional challenge to the travellers, as the trains often extend much beyond the platform.
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_hebbal-railway-station-is-a-challenge-to-travellers_1787883
Who is to take responsibility for this mess : Mayor of Bangalore, Bangalore North MP, Hebbal MLA, Corporator, SWR Bangalore, NHAI & BDA.
This requirement may not cost more then 2 Crore, but these above people may spend crores of money for meetings and blaming each others.
60 p.c. of roads do not have footpaths: study
Sanjeev - 12 March, 2013 - 11:45
The study shows at least one pedestrian dies daily on an average in Bangalore.
Over 60 per cent of the roads in the city don’t have footpaths while the remaining 40 have footpaths that are either encroached upon or have a width less than 1.5 metres.
This emerged from a recent study on conditions of footpaths in Bangalore carried out by a Traffic Advisory Committee under M.N. Sreehari, Advisor to Government on Traffic, Transportation and Infrastructure.
“This is not only a blatant violation of the Indian Road Congress (IRC) rules, but also a serious threat to the safety and security of pedestrians,” Mr. Sreehari told The Hindu.
The 300-page study, which has been submitted to the State government, shows that at least one pedestrian is killed every day on an average in Bangalore while many others are injured while either crossing the roads or even walking on footpaths.
“We have brought it to the notice of the government and discussed it in the meetings with the BBMP officials, but no action has been taken,” he said, and accused the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike of doing nothing unless someone files a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking judicial intervention.
DULT / GOK report on Pedestrain facility
Sanjeev - 23 May, 2014 - 10:54
DULT / GOK has issued this way in Jan'2014. Guidelines for planning and implementation of Pedestrain Infrastructure.
http://www.urbantransport.kar.gov.in/pedguide_final_21stJan2014.pdf
PRAJA.IN COMMENT GUIDELINES
Posting Guidelines apply for comments as well. No foul language, hate mongering or personal attacks. If criticizing third person or an authority, you must be fact based, as constructive as possible, and use gentle words. Avoid going off-topic no matter how nice your comment is. Moderators reserve the right to either edit or simply delete comments that don't meet these guidelines. If you are nice enough to realize you violated the guidelines, please save Moderators some time by editing and fixing yourself. Thanks!