Skywalk near Bengaluru's Sophia School may make way for elevated corridor to airport

BENGALURU: Far from creating new infrastructure that helps the public, Bengaluru's civic authorities aim to pull down a structure that came up especially to allow school children cross a busy traffic junction safely . The skywalk opposite Sophia School on Palace Road constructed five years ago is going to be removed, apparently to make way for an elevated corridor that connects to the airport.
The skywalk, which cost Rs 60 lakh, was specially requested by the school to help its students cross the high-traffic junction near Basava Bhavan. Principal Sister Alpana said the school had not received any official communication from the authorities. The parents' association, however, is distraught. “We will not allow the skywalk to be touched at any cost,“ said a parent, requesting anonymity.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), whose board has approved the Rs 1,100-crore sixlane elevated corridor from Basaveshwara Circle toHebbalflyover ,has invited tenders to begin work on the mega project. “The skywalk comes in the way and needs to be shifted. We will e way and needs to be shifted. We will call a meeting of the stakeholders ­ BBMP , BWSSB and others ­ to work out an alternative,“ BDA engineer member P N Nayak told ET.

Estimated to be completed in the next three years, the elevated cor ridor will land just before the Hebbal flyover hoping to ease traffic congestion enroute to the Kempegowda International Airport.

BBMP officials say the removal of the skywalk is inevitable. “Basically , the BDA did not tell us about their plans. We are still deciding on the alternative location,“ said BBMP major public works standing committee head Geetha Vivekananda.

The city has nine skywalks that were constructed by the BBMP's advertising department, which earned revenues worth Rs 62.13 lakh till date. That the advertisement department is in charge is an indicator that revenue overshadows public utility .And the civic body is planning 31 more skywalks.The new ones are to be equipped with elevators, and will be constructed by the BBMP's Traffic Engineering Cell.

Three of these proposed skywalks ­ at Marathalli on Old Airport Road, Christ University on Hosur Road and Indian Air Force ASC Centre on Ballari Road will be ready in about a month's time, the official said.

Namma Bengaluru Foundation CEO Sridhar Pabbisetty believes skywalks or flyovers will not work unless the golden rule of urban planning is followed. “ As a city, we need to go back to the basics. The problem is that pedestrians and cyclists, the first priority, are not considered during planning. Next come public transport and last, the private vehicles. Skywalks will become essential to optimise travel time, but only if planned well.“