HYDERABAD: Metro commuters trying to cross the service road after alighting at the Rasoolpura metro station opposite to the HMRL Bhavan often wonder: “How do I cross the road now?” The landing zone for the metro elevator, lifts and staircases have busy highway one side and a traffic-heavy service lane on the other. The lack of pedestrian crossings is endemic across almost all metro stations along the rail corridor.
The service roads at metro stations were initially designed to be used as a bus bay and for feeder services. Later, plans for a dedicated pathway for buses were scrapped. Take for instance the service road next to Rasoolpura metro station. It soaks in almost all of the traffic from the minister road, including buses. “I walk to the station, but the footpath is very narrow. If someone walks towards me from the opposite side I have to get down on the main road and if am with my son I have to be extra careful as the service lane has heavy traffic and there is very little space to walk,” says Meghna Anant, resident of Begumpet.
Apart from the Rasoolpura metro station, lack of footpaths and pedestrian crossings are also an issue at Prakash Nagar, Tarnaka and NGRI stations. “The metro people did redesign landing for each station, at some places they have extended the landing space such as at Lakdikapul as they are expecting more traffic,” said GSR Chaitanya, a researcher with Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.