BENGALURU: With the BBMP’s long-planned skywalk connecting both sides of the MG Road yet to materialise, pedestrians continue to risk their lives and limbs by darting across from one side of the road to another. There are consequences for all sections since this simple structure cannot be constructed: vehicle users have to be extra cautious as anyone might run across the road any time and businesses on both sides of the road end up bearing the brunt of this poor connectivity.
There are only two locations at MG Road where pedestrians can officially cross - one at Anil Kumble Circle and another in front of Brigade Road junction. However, if you park your car or a two-wheeler anywhere on MG Road, it is quite a walk to reach either of these spots. Hence, a considerable number choose the jaywalking route and rush across, whether vehicles are coming or not.
Despite the MG Road Metro Station connecting one side to another, one needs to cross through the ticketed gates to make use of them.
Krishna Murari and his son Rahul M live in the vicinity and are forced to cross in this fashion. “It is bad. We need to rush half way after traffic slows down on one side and wait at the median. After that we need to wait for traffic to reduce on the other side and rush to the other half. A simple skywalk is absolutely necessary,” Krishna said.
Dentist Neha S along with senior citizen A Manisha said, “How do you expect elderly people to walk till one end and cross the road? They cannot even rush across like others.”
Stand up comedian at the Metro Art Gallery, Shekhar Vijayan, feels a citizen protest will soon take place on this issue. “Just like the massive citizen protests over the steel flyover, I am sure the public using this stretch will be pressured to do something if the government does not act.”
In-charge at Dasaprakash hotel, K Medini Rao, said her business will improve by 60 per cent if the two sides of the road can be bridged. “Regular customers frequently speak of how tough it is to go over to the end of the road and then walk up to the hotel.”
With the Metro Art Gallery emerging as a cultural hub and the regular fairs and events taking place here, public rush during weekends has increased manifold.