Skywalks along B'luru-Mys road: NHAI's plan to address accidents

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has unveiled a plan to construct 24 skywalks along the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway.

These elevated pedestrian crossings are expected to be completed within a year.

The decision to initiate the project arises from a surge in accidents on the expressway, which became operational in March 2023. NHAI has pinpointed locations prone to accidents and identified trouble spots on the expressway where these skywalks will be erected.

A Detailed Project Report (DPR) and a comprehensive project blueprint have been prepared, and the estimated cost for this endeavour is around Rs 46.1 crore.

The selected contractors are tasked with finishing the project within a year and maintaining the skywalks for five years thereafter. Encompassing a length of 63 feet and a width of 3.5 metres, the skywalks will grant pedestrians three meters of walking space.

This initiative aims to mitigate accidents that have often occurred when pedestrians attempt to cross the expressway.

Prior to this initiative, the expressway faced attention due to the numerous accidents that transpired as pedestrians sought to cross certain sections.

The imposition of a speed limit of 100 km/h for vehicles, coupled with the prohibition of bikes, tractors, and sluggish-moving vehicles, led to a reduction in the number of accidents on the expressway, as enacted by the police.