HYDERABAD: The first-ever pedestrian-friendly Elevated Walkway or Skywalk in Telangana at the busy Uppal junction will be opened by the end of this December or early in January 2023. The elevated walkway will be an engineering marvel like the Cable-Stayed Bridge at Durgam Cheruvu; it will connect six sides as well as integrate the Uppal Metro Station at the concourse level and different bus stops.
The 640-metre elevated skywalk is being readied by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) at an estimated cost of Rs 26 crore. It has become a necessity as Uppal is one of the busiest junctions in the city where traffic congestion is the norm and accidents involving pedestrians are regularly reported.
Sources told Express that six HOP entry and exit points of the skywalk will have a combination of staircases, lifts and escalators. Unlike conventional skywalks that facilitate passage from one end to the other, the Uppal skywalk will facilitate pedestrian movement in multiple directions.
Entry and exit points will be provided near the Metro Station towards Nagole Road, towards Ramanthapur Road, GHMC Theme Park, Warangal Bus Stop (GHMC office), abutting Uppal Police Station/MRO Office and opposite the Uppal substation. The structures circumnavigate the junctions, sources said.
The elevated structure is designed to provide good ambience and make the path of the users to and from from a pleasant experience. The sources said that the walkway will have an aesthetic look with its width being four metres, and six metres at some locations for creation of small kiosks.
The State government wants to encourage pedestrians to use skywalks to reduce accidents and reduce traffic chaos. Workin on another elevated walkway at the busy Mehdipatnam junction is also under progress.