PMC next step,foot overbridge with lift

In a proposal that would come up for approval in Tuesday’s standing committee meeting,the civic administration has proposed to construct the pedestrian overbridge using JNNURM funds. The bridge will have four staircases – one each on both sides of the road landing on the footpath and one each on the sides of BRTS lanes that will pass on the middle of the road.

This is for the first time in the city that lifts for pedestrians are being built on both sides of the road.

“The PMC had planned a subway for pedestrians at the location,but experts felt it would lead to damage of the concrete road and the service lines on both sides. Therefore,an overbridge was recommended,” the proposal stated.

Superintendenting Engineer Vinay Deshpande said four overbridges would come up in the city —two at Kothrud,one each at Vishrantwadi and Anandnagar on Sinhagad Road — on roads that are reconstructed under JNNURM for implementation of BRTS. “All the four bridges will have lifts as there are concerns whether these overbridges would be used by citizens to cross the road,” he said,adding the PMC plans to ensure the functioning of lifts on build,operate and transfer basis by allowing a private agency to carry out the job in lieu of advertisements on the overbridge.

The PMC had earlier constructed an overbridge in front of the collectorate but had to remove it as citizens didn’t use it to cross the road and it was misused by miscreants.

Similarly,a subway on Jangli Maharaj Road was kept closed following poor usage by citizens.

The overbridge near SNDT College on Karve Road and Sarasbaug also do not have many takers. Deshpande said the PMC also plans to construct subways for pedestrians to cross roads in certain locations.

Civic activists have opposed the plan for the overbridge and subways. “There is no need of a subway or an overbridge,if the civic administration provides proper road crossings for citizens. We have found that very few citizens use overbridges to cross roads,” said civic activist Prashant Inamdar.

The PMC’s decision for installing lifts at the overbridge for citizens to climb up and down the bridge has also drawn flak. “It is very hazardous as a high tension power supply would be required for it and there has to be continuous maintenance of the lift. There can be malfunctioning of lift and the PMC has to build a machinery for its continuous operation and maintenance to avoid any untoward incident,” Inamdar and other acivists said.