COIMBATORE: The proposed skywalk connecting the major bus terminals in Gandhipuram continues to remain on paper, leaving pedestrians to negotiate the busy Cross Cut Road-Dr Nanjappa Road junction amid heavy traffic.
The junction witnesses constant movement of buses and other vehicles owing to the presence of the central bus terminus, town bus terminus and Thiruvalluvar SETC bus stand, besides several commercial establishments. With no dedicated pedestrian crossing facility, commuters are forced to cross the roads at busy intersections.
The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) had earlier proposed a state-of-the-art skywalk connecting the key bus terminals with Cross Cut Road. During the previous DMK government, the project was proposed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model at an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore. The proposed facility would comprise three skywalks, two crossings and four entry and exit points. It was planned with a width of 3.6 metres and height of three metres, with staircases, elevators and lifts.
The proposal envisaged connecting the Tiruvalluvar Bus Stand, Town Bus Stand and the mofussil bus stand on Dr Nanjappa Road with Cross Cut Road. A pedestrian overhead bridge between the Town and mofussil bus stands was removed several years ago during flyover construction and was not subsequently restored by the officials.
Under the PPP arrangement, the corporation was to provide the land, while the private partner would undertake the design, construction, financing and operation of the facility. Advertisement revenue was proposed as a means of meeting maintenance costs. The DPR was prepared and sent to the government for necessary approvals and funding. However, after the regime change, the project's commencement has seen zero progress.
"During peak hours, crossing Dr Nanjappa Road is a challenge. We have to watch out for buses and other vehicles while trying to reach the bus stands. Elderly people and children face even greater difficulty," said C Manoharan, a regular commuter.
Another commuter said pedestrians often end up walking along the carriageway because of the lack of a convenient crossing facility. With traffic continuing to increase in the Gandhipuram commercial hub, commuters have urged the state and the corporation to expedite the approvals and implement the proposed skywalk at the earliest.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja said, "Not just Gandhipuram, but we have also submitted the designs and DPR for a skywalk at the Ukkadam junction too with the government. The government has asked all corporations to make a uniform FOB (Foot Over Bridge) design and submit it with them for a blanket approval for all local bodies. Although the CCMC has submitted its proposal a long time ago, the other corporations in the state are yet to submit their proposals. As a result, the approval for the skywalk for Coimbatore is delayed. We have been pushing to get the approval at the earliest."