21 FoBs to make road crossing easy in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Safely finding a way through vehicles zooming past, and crossing busy road stretches continues to be a challenge for the pedestrians at several places in the city.
However, road crossing is all set to become safe and hassle free for the pedestrians at different locations with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) readying Foot over Bridges (FoBs).
As many as 21 FoBs are being set up with an estimated cost of Rs 127.35 crore and the civic body is dotting these facilities for the pedestrians at busy and strategic locations.
Among others locations, these pedestrian friendly road crossing facilities are coming up at Hyderabad Central Mall in Panjagutta, GVK Mall in Banjara Hills Road No. 1, Omer Hotel in Chandrayangutta, St Anns High School in Secunderabad, Dilshuk Nagar, Ranga Bhujanga Theatre in Gajularamaram and Infinity Malla in Miyapur.
Presently, these points witness heavy traffic not only during the peak hours but also during non-traffic hours. With the continuous movement of different vehicles at varying speeds, pedestrians end up spending anxious moments to move from one side of the road to the other side.
Due to the sharp rise in traffic in the last few years which was resulting in pedestrians facing difficulties in crossing the roads, the FoBs were taken up, according to the GHMC. These new facilities have a lift and some of them have escalators too.
The civic body said works were underway in different parts of the city and plans were being drawn to ready 17 FoBs ready for inauguration by December. The facilities to be made available for pedestrians by the year-end include the FoBs at Omer Hotel in Chandrayangutta, Sunshine Hospital in Khajaguda and Dilsukhnagar. The FoB dismantled at St Ann’s High School in Secunderabad to pave way for the construction of metro rail pillars will also be inaugurated this year end.
Meanwhile, commuters using the recently set up FoBs said the facilities offered them a reprieve from the hardships involved in crossing busy road stretches. “It was only after the FoB in Banjara Hills Road No. 3 was inaugurated, the stretch became safe for pedestrians. The foot fall on this road is high and adding to it, the speed of vehicles was a major issue,” said Ashish Kothari, a business man.
Narasimhan A, president, Golf View Apartments, Financial District, calls for proper maintenance of the facilities. “Lifts and escalators should be in good condition and authorities should ensure the FoBs do not turn into a place for anti-social elements and for groups to while away time,” he added.
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