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Bangalore's new Skywalk locations

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Written By Bengloorappa - 23 September, 2008

Bangalore BBMP Citizen Reports Skywalks Transportation Infrastructure Pedestrian Infrastructure pedestrian

BBMP has come out with an EOI document for construction of 56 Skywalks with escalators in 14 packages, here it is (link to pdf)

Some of the locations that stand out in terms of utility and usefulness are,

  1. Arya Bhavan Sweets to Kanthi Sweet to Himalaya Theatre, crossing KG Road
  2. BTS(sic) Main Bus Stand to Amar Lodge Building in Majestic Area.
  3. BTS(sic) Main Bus Station to Railway Station Premises
  4. In front of Satelite Bus Stand on Mysore Road.
     

Some locations with questionable utility and usefulness to general public,

  1. In front of Shopper’s stop (Mantri Elegance) on BG Road 1 no
  2. On Hosur Road "T" Junction with Tavarekere Main Road (Opp. Said Sadan &Prestige Acropolis) (High Rise Apartments Condominium)
  3. Near Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, College and Nursing On Miller Road.
  4. Queen’s Road near Congress Office.
 
This project will be on a BOT basis with 10 years to recover costs through advertisements.
No technical details available, no specifications to be access friendly for the differently abled.
 

 

COMMENTS

Skywalks locations

Bengloorappa - 24 September, 2008 - 05:04

The published locations need a bit of analysis; a step in the "right" direction towards addressing pedestrian issues (may not necessarily be the right step).

Agreed that the BBMP doesn't pay money out of its pockets, but the locations could have been better placed - Barring a few such as Majestic area and around it, these Skywalks do not offer any solution to the harried average daily commuter crossing the same dangerous junction every day.

Lets start with the positives,

  • Educational institutions have been covered to a certain extent - St. Josephs, St. Charles, St. Anthonys, Nirmala Rani, Little Flowers Pub. school, New Horizon Pub. school, MCC, Ramaiah, Bhagwan Mahaveer College etc.
  • Representation is also made for important landmarks in Bangalore such as Ravindra Kalakshetra, Kanteerava Stadium, Mallya Hospital, CET cell, Lalbagh

To the no-so-positives,

  • Many high-pedestrian traffic junctions have been totally ignored, I agree that not every junction can be included, but some questionable locations such as Congress office on Queen's road have been. 
  • Some locations seem to have been identified without proper study (the EOI document states that the contractor will do the study before construction) for ex: The proposed skywalk at the junction of Sankey road and Malleswaram 18th cross road - this will probably be used by morning joggers and visitors to the park around Sankey. I am not saying this is not required, but given the sheer number of pedestrians crossing at Malleshwaram circle, it could have been well utilised there.

All in all good effort by BBMP, any efforts towards easing pedestrians problems will be well received. The technology and method is always debatable though.

The Exec. Engg. of Road widening, who has issued this EOI request is contactable on an email ID, does any one here think we can make efforts to bring this to his notice ?

can we include the pavement?

narayan82 - 23 September, 2008 - 15:45

From the Operator's side, he will gain more in terms of advertising only if people use his side walk. Can the operator also maintain 100 meters of footpath on either side of the sky walk. Can he keep encroachers off, clean/maintain and have barriers on the road side of the footpath? Can he also develop a Median on the road so people can't take a short cut? Otherwise these escalators will turn into Billboards!

replied!

narayan82 - 23 September, 2008 - 16:20

I think I replied to it briefly then too! Indigo (Airline) uses simlar stairs in Delhi Airport. Truth is if you take away the stairs and add slopes the gradient needs to be decreased and hence the lenght increases. So in Indigo's case it was a twin slope with a "U" Turn. If you know what I Mean... But unfortunately on a road seeing a longer path going up would tempt users to instead just cut across the road! Of course I htink the only way we can answer ur question is by prototyping. My reactions are acutally only castles in the aiR :)

Graded slope on skywalk

idontspam - 23 September, 2008 - 13:26

Dont remember who I had this conversation with on putting up graded slopes on skywalks in lieu of stairs. I tried to pay attention this time around in New Delhi. I saw it in Motibagh near the gurdwara. On one side (of the same half) they have an escalator on the other side they have graded slope and normal stairs as well. They have the same combination across the road. There is another one of these skywalks on the same road towards dhaula kuan flyover. I saw almost everyone using the slope including cyclists (pushing the cycle not riding it). There were more new skywalks coming up on the road towards Moolchand sans escalator but with slope as standard fare.

Old Madras Road needs badly

balu036 - 23 September, 2008 - 09:20

Old Madras Road needs badly a couple of them

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