A newly-upgraded pedestrian subway in KR Market, which is likely to be opened for public use in a couple of weeks, may get a dedicated space for hawkers, particularly women. The subway, developed by Bengaluru Smart City Ltd, provides safe pedestrian access between KR Market Metro Station and the bus terminal.
A visit to the subway on Tuesday showed that the Smart City has almost completed the work but access to it has been blocked. Besides, providing an escalator at the entrance of the subway near Indira Canteen, CCTV cameras have been installed. “We will allow pedestrian movement once the process of deploying security guards is complete,” a Smart City official said.
While the pedestrian subway at KR Market existed for many years, it had no utility value as it was dirty and constantly flooded. The Smart City engineers have fixed the drainage system and ensured the subway is fully lit.
Re-developing the subway was part of the Rs 17-crore project that included a pedestrian facility around KR Market, a bus shelter, re-designing walkways and improving the junction etc. During the recent co-ordination meeting, senior officers requested the Smart City officials to study the feasibility of converting a portion of the subway into a hawker’s zone for women.