An elderly man struggles to climb the stairs at the skywalk as the elevator lies defunct just a stone's throw away from the BBMP head office near Corporation Circle in Bengaluru.
DH Photo/Pushkar V
Bengaluru: Skywalks at major junctions and busy roads continue to be poorly maintained. Metrolife did a reality-check of a few locations and found that lifts at most of these foot-over-bridges are dysfunctional, posing a challenge to the elderly and differently abled.
According to Tushar Girinath, chief commissioner, BBMP, most of the skywalks are maintained under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. “It is the responsibility of the private players to ensure they are in working condition. They have not been doing it. But it is on our radar and we are working on getting them to fix the problems on priority,” he shares.
Majestic
The Majestic skywalk is located on a busy stretch that connects the BMTC bus stand, KSRTC bus stand and interchange metro station to Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (Bengaluru City) Station. When Metrolife visited the location, we found that the doors were blocked by construction material and an old food cart covered in tarpaulin. Both lifts were switched off. According to Imran, a street vendor who claimed to be the security guard, the lift is ‘undergoing a paint job’.
Sankey Road
The skywalk on Sankey Road, near Guttahalli bus stop, was well-maintained. Though it does not have a lift, it is equipped with an escalator which was clean and working smoothly.
Corporation Circle
The Corporation Circle skywalk is in the vicinity of the BBMP headquarters, the corporation bus stand where intercity buses stop, numerous government offices and shopping areas. Both lifts were switched off.
Mysore Road
The lifts at the skywalk near Mysore Road toll gate were switched off. It is in the vicinity of commercial buildings and colleges.
K G Road
Major government offices, such as that of the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal and Bengaluru District Commissioner, are located on this stretch. When Metrolife visited the spot, the lift at the skywalk here was barricaded by a wooden structure. The glass doors of the lift and the buttons were damaged.