Another accident at Bellandur junction highlights lack of pedestrian safety measures

Yet another accident involving a pedestrian at the busy Bellandur junction near Central Mall on Thursday once again highlighted the need for more skywalks along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and other safety measures for pedestrians. Residents, who raised the need for better amenities after at least four pedestrians were killed in separate accidents last year, said that despite assurances, work on the promised skywalk is yet to begin.

As many as eight skywalks had been sanctioned in Bellandur more than a year ago. However, only one has been completed while another, near Innovation Multiplex, is almost ready. “The ground-breaking ceremony for six skywalks was done in December 2018, but construction is yet to begin,” said a member of Bellandur Jothege, a civic group.

Residents of localities on the ORR, including Mahadevapura and Marathahalli, say that the BBMP is yet to fulfil its promises.

Need for more skywalks

ORR is a four-lane road, and crossing it is a nightmare for pedestrians, who say there is a need for one skywalk or an underpass at every one-kilometre interval.

“We hardly have a skywalk on ORR. They are one of the basic essential amenities in a city, but here it seems to be a luxury,” said Uday Bharadwaj, a resident of Bellandur who works in an IT firm.

Lack of coordination

Residents and civic activists said that they are working with the BBMP to address the slow progress on sanctioned skywalks and the need for more such structures on the ORR.

“A few councillors and BBMP officials took up the matter seriously, but they were not able to start work due to lack of coordination among government agencies,” claimed a volunteer of Bellandur Jothege.

A senior BBMP official cited the model code of conduct as one of the reasons for the delay. “Many skywalks in Mahadevapura zone have been sanctioned and some work orders were issued. Work on many skywalks has not started due to Namma Metro work on the route,” he said.

Poor pedestrian infrastructure

Many footpaths on ORR have been encroached upon. Illegal parking on roads and footpaths has resulted in lack of space for pedestrians. “Accidents not only happen while people are crossing the road, but also when they are forced to stand on the road while waiting for a bus, or even walking,” said a resident.