• Source:JND
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Bengaluru plans eight more skywalks even as many of the existing ones remain underused and poorly maintained. Despite this, the city is moving forward with proposals to build eight additional skywalks at key locations such as Tank Bund Road, Tumkur Road near RMC Yard, Old Madras Road, and Old Airport Road near Carlton Towers. This decision has raised concerns among citizens and urban planners, who highlight the neglect of the current 82 skywalks, many of which are either inaccessible, dysfunctional, or largely overlooked.

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Condition Of Existing Skywalks In City 

A closer look shows that out of the 82 skywalks scattered across the city, 59 were built through public-private partnerships (PPP) and 15 funded by government grants. Only four are directly maintained by the BBMP, with the rest constructed by the BDA. Although 64 of these skywalks have lifts installed, the majority are either broken, locked, or lack electricity, rendering them unusable.

Only four skywalks citywide are equipped with escalators, a surprisingly low number considering Bengaluru’s sizable senior citizen population and the fatigue pedestrians face navigating its hectic streets. To make matters worse, most of these escalators are currently non-operational.

"Climbing the stairs every day is extremely irritating, especially in summer. What's the point of building skywalks if the escalators are always under repair?" asks Suma Ramesh, a 53-year-old commuter who uses the Hebbal skywalk daily to get to work, according to the TOI report. "It's a nightmare for older people like me. I end up with knee pain every time."

Commuters at major hubs like Yeshwanthpur, KR Puram, and Marathahalli share similar frustrations. The steep and uneven stairs discourage elderly and physically challenged individuals from using the skywalks. As a result, many pedestrians choose to cross busy roads directly, despite the dangers posed by heavy traffic. The promise of accessibility has largely fallen short, non-functioning lifts and escalators mean these so-called "smart skywalks" fail the very groups they were designed to support: women with children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities.

"Maintenance is the missing piece in all of these skywalks. The one near the Gali Anjaneya temple barely has people using it. The lifts don't work at all. People prefer crossing the road to climbing stairs and then walking a certain distance and then getting down again when they can just show their hand to the motorists and cross the road," said Ganesh Gowda, a juice vendor at the junction, according to the TOI report. 

Skywalks constructed under the PPP model are meant to include a staircase, lift, CCTV cameras, and security personnel. However, when TOI conducted a reality check, it found no security presence and lifts that were out of order. Similarly, a skywalk near Dairy Circle has both stairs and lifts, but the lifts remain closed and non-functional, forcing people to climb the stairs and risk crossing busy roads instead.

"We have given the maintenance to private agencies and only the four that are under our control are monitored by us, and they are in a good shape. We have sent notices to many who aren't maintaining the skywalks properly," A senior BBMP official said.

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Skywalks In City

The city currently has a total of 82 skywalks, of which 64 are equipped with lifts. However, only 4 skywalks feature escalators, while 14 have staircases.