Bangalore's new Skywalk locations

Dont remember who I had this conversation with on putting up graded slopes on skywalks in lieu of stairs. I tried to pay attention this time around in New Delhi. I saw it in Motibagh near the gurdwara. On one side (of the same half) they have an escalator on the other side they have graded slope and normal stairs as well. They have the same combination across the road. There is another one of these skywalks on the same road towards dhaula kuan flyover. I saw almost everyone using the slope including cyclists (pushing the cycle not riding it). There were more new skywalks coming up on the road towards Moolchand sans escalator but with slope as standard fare.

I think I replied to it briefly then too! Indigo (Airline) uses simlar stairs in Delhi Airport. Truth is if you take away the stairs and add slopes the gradient needs to be decreased and hence the lenght increases. So in Indigo's case it was a twin slope with a "U" Turn. If you know what I Mean... But unfortunately on a road seeing a longer path going up would tempt users to instead just cut across the road! Of course I htink the only way we can answer ur question is by prototyping. My reactions are acutally only castles in the aiR :)

such ideas a syou say should definately work. But it needs to be supported by some medians and footpaths. So if the only way across the road is by the footpath, and not cutting across the road then it will be useul. Just a skywalk and median/railings will not be very useful. Again, how has Delhi handled this?

The last line of the tender says "46 Agencies who have been already short listed and empanelled in response to notification no. BMP(CE(I)/Empanelment/PR/2006-07, Dated: 05-02-07 and notification no.EE/RW2 /PR/215/07-08, Dated: 26-12-07 may need not submit their details." That means the tenders were released in 2007 as well http://www.bmponline.org/... I compared both the tenders, almost all the skywalks listed are repeated. So i am wondering if any of these were actually built by BBMP/Agencies in last one year........ Looking at the condition of pedestrians in these high traffic areas and the pace these skywalks are being built....i think the wait will be long enought before they would be actually built.

Regards

Deepika N Bhardwaj

We will keep prioritizing cars over people, shrink our footpaths till they are unwalkable, remove signal & create oneways so that roads are uncrossable, then build skywalks that are up several flights of stairs which the old, handicapped or injured cannot use, the rest would rather not, and in the end look on with amazement as the skywalks remain bereft of walkers pretty much through the day. But who cares, they make good places to hang billboards. Everybody wins. Except those who loose.

I have not much knowledge or understanding of sky walks.

If my understanding is correct under passes using perhaps the Magic Box Concept should be there as a standard feature along the length of any corridor/arterial/Main road, like in Bangalore Railway station area. They will be required in hundreds if not thousands throughout Bangalore. The design of these pedestrian road crossing underpasses should be standardized with relevant cost estimates by professional Civil Engineers/Consultants.

BBMP should plan adding these on a regular yearly basis in a planned manner throughout the city. The idea is to segregate the Vehicular and pedestrian traffic through out Bangalore.

After posting my comments I looked through posts by Silkboard and Aswin. Yes what a waste! Is it our posts? The sky walks? Or Praja “Know” without “Caring”? It is high time Praja should meet up with BBMP if not done so already.

Finally BBMP seem to have go it right. I Havent seen this yet, but I hope someone can post us a picture soon? Subway built in 24 hours!

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore:

Some have criticized the BBMP ‘magic boxes’, but the experiment has produced another innovation: magic subways. The BBMP launched its first magic subway in Hebbal on Saturday. The subway is one of 37 planned in Bangalore with the same technology used in magic boxes. “The subways will have elevated boxes,” BBMP chief engineer (roads) K S Krishna Reddy said. The subway opposite Hebbal police station was assembled in a ‘’record time’’ of 24 hours. Five subways have been proposed at Basaveshwara Circle, Hosur Road, CBI junction, Chalukya Circle and Race Course Road.

 

So can we use this now as an example to build more?

I agree with the view that this is vehicles being prioritised to no end. Its rather simple whether at a junction (crossroads or a T) or a mid-section of a long carriage way, all we need are pedestrian refuges. Lets look at the image below -

Now lets presume the traffic lights cycle is 20 seconds for each direction. The traffic is moving from A to B, D and F. This means pedestrians can cross half way on H, G, E and C sections. Now let us presume, that next, all cars coming along E were given a green light to go to  F, H and B. This means pedestrians on sections A, C, D and G can cross halfway. In short, during the traffic lights cycle it self pedestrians can cross over with safety, for some sections depending on what part of the cycle they arrive to cross, pedestrians may take a minute to cross over across two sections.

This is the most cost-effective means of serving both the purposes. Even with skywalks or subways, traffic lights are going to be needed to coordinate vehicular movement anyway, so why not use the pedestrian refuges (grey rectangular boxes).

Currently in Pune, the problem is that traffic lights try to make pedestrians cross across entire road lengths (sometimes 4-6 lanes within 6 seconds). This leaves pedestrians having to take risks, oft leading to chaos on our roads as vehicles try to pass them on either side. 

ASJ 

When we talk about skywalk It should solve the basic questions; 1. User friendly medium, 2. Accessible 24x7, 3. Protected from rain and sun, 4. Attract people to use the medium. 5. Time saving. Bangalore is a place where there are n types of people living.Like, From a poor individual to a very rich individual with varying age group. Not everyone is aware of latest technology.. The medium should cater all types of people of different age group. It should also follow Go Green promotion!! Its really good to hear using escalators in public spaces. Practically its not at all serving the needs. Example: When escalators were installed in Chennai metro stations, there are so many accidents happen due to people not aware of how it works. Even elderly and physically challenged found very unease to use the service. And the service been stopped from the public usuage for more than six months. Is it because of lack of knowledge or usuablity of the space? Its all about how we adopt technology to right place and location. Then we should think about where it can be applied and where its cannot be. Growth of the city is not to have loads of technology, Its all about how the needs are planned and executed without forcing the environment. Kaushik.T Enviromentalist, Architect