KOCHI: Foot overbridges (FOBs) were built to resolve the difficulties faced by pedestrians while crossing busy highway stretches. However, many FOBs in the city, which were constructed after spending lakhs of rupees, are hardly being used.
Five FOBs on the Aroor-Edappally stretch that were constructed and currently maintained by the National Highways Authority of India remain unused even during peak hours.
NHAI officials said all five FOBs were constructed following mass representations from local leaders in the wake of accidents involving pedestrians. The officials said it is high time that the public is made aware of the safety aspects of using the FOBs.
“The structures were commissioned in December 2018. Around 250 students from the Kufos campus used one of them during the inauguration. They demanded that FOB , but even they aren’t using it now,” said an NHAI official, adding that only joggers are taking the FOBs to cross the road.
Public nuisance
Residents claim that the bridges have become a haven for drunkards. According to them, empty liquor bottles and leftover food can be found there almost every day. Sudheer, who has been running a stationery shop on the service road near the FOB in Ponnurunni said that the facility was constructed after a student of a nearby school was run over by a speeding car almost six years ago. There is also pedestrian movement from the nearby church, he said.
“Had the bridge been constructed a bit towards the south, more people would use it. When the discussions regarding the bridge were held, many shopkeepers objected to its positioning and it was moved further north. These days, you find alcoholics on them at night. Due to the height of the bridge, even police are unable to spot such elements,” he said.
Satheesan, an autorickshaw driver in the area, said people rarely use the bridge and only if they have time. “In haste, especially in mornings and evenings, pedestrians cross the road even when there are vehicles moving at high speeds on the road,” he said.
Office of P T Thomas MLA, under whose constituency the FOBs are located, said they were constructed after accidents and repeated requests and a mass petition from the people in the area.
‘Escalators, not bridges’
“A suggestion was made to the NHAI from the MLA’s office to construct escalators instead of stairs so people of all age groups can use them. Since it was very expensive, they told us to construct it ourselves. When we approached the parties interested, they were ready to set up escalators, but with a provision for advertisements. The NHAI did not approve the display of advertisements and that suggestion was dropped,” a spokesperson from the office of the MLA said.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden too confirmed that nobody uses the existing FOBs and suggested the government construct escalators instead.
“The High Court junction sees huge traffice. Passengers from Vypeen and those commuting to and from the city pass through here. Kacheripady is also busy. The Cochin Smart Mission Ltd was asked to study the need for an escalator in these two places. NHAI was urged to construct an escalator near the Amrita hospital junction,” he said.
Five FOBs
On 16-km stretch
The National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) built five foot overbridges on 16km-stretch of the NH66 at Edappally, Palarivattom, Chalikkavattom, Kannadikkadu, Panangad and Ponnurunni. The overbridges have been constructed at a height of 20ft above the road and have up to 45 steps. People claim that elderly and those with disabilities cannot make the climb.