BENGALURU: To ease the woes of pedestrians walking below the busy Hebbal Flyover, the traffic police have proposed an underpass or a skywalk at the junction. The move comes after many accidents were reported when pedestrians tried to cross the junction.Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ravikanthe Gowda and top officials of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which maintains the flyover, conducted a joint inspection of the location last week.
“It is a crucial spot as roads from all directions, including the airport, K R Puram and Tumakuru, converge. The traffic signal here gives pedestrians just 30-40 seconds to cross. The time we provide depends on the traffic at a particular time. Many people are hesitant to cross quickly due to heavy traffic. For the safety of pedestrians, either an underpass or a skywalk, whichever is technically feasible, should be put up here. BDA has been told to do it at the earliest,” Gowda told TNIE. A project for pedestrian safety at the spot has been in the pipeline for long. “Technical issues were cited in the past, but now we are told that they can be eliminated,” he added.
Another top police officer said that over the last six months, 15 accidents have occurred and three have lost lives at the spot. “It is very dangerous here. Nearly 3,000 to 4,000 pedestrians cross this junction every day, and it is crucial to ensure their safety,” he added. A top Bangalore Development Authority official said they were working on a proposal. “If the police want something in public interest, we need to ensure that it is done. Technical possibilities of putting up a subway below the flyover is being studied. A decision will be taken soon,” he added.