Unfinished FoB adds to pedestrian woes

The structure of the bridge was installed as early as September 2022. Fast forward to August 2023, officials said the FoB would be thrown open to the public in a fortnight’s time.

Hyderabad: The Foot over Bridge (FoB) near the GVK Mall at Banjara Hills Road No. 1 has been under construction for almost two years now.

Despite the procurement of equipment, what was supposed to be a swanky new facility has remained a non-starter.

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The structure of the bridge was installed as early as September 2022. Fast forward to August 2023, officials said the FoB would be thrown open to the public in a fortnight’s time.

Now, in May 2024, there are no signs of the facility being made available to the public anytime soon. When asked about the delay, a GHMC official said, “The contractor fell sick and he had to go to Tamil Nadu for treatment. This is why the work stopped and he could not deliver,” assuring that it will be completed in the next two months.

Being built at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore, it will have two lifts, each with a capacity of 10 persons, along with two other escalators.

The structure is made up of steel supporting the conwood board and glass walls. The foyers on either side of the road open up to Street No. 4 next to Hyatt Place and Post Office Lane next to GVK Mall.

Moreover, according to officials, the entire stretch will be monitored with eight CCTV cameras. And since the FoB will be a closed space with glass walls, it is going to be air-conditioned.

The junction where it is located has a high vehicular traffic density. There is also ample pedestrian movement from the mall, NIMS hospital, and the bus stop nearby.

As the unfinished FoB wrapped in plastic covers and supported by beams greets passersby every day, pedestrians continue to navigate the busy stream of vehicles while crossing the road