Years after they were opened for public use, two foot overbridges (FOB) at busy spots in Noida are still incomplete, with lack of adequate lighting and facilities making them a safe haven for encroachers. .
The FOB connecting Noida Sector 18 to The Great India Place mall does not have an elevator and one of the escalators was not working this week.
“I had to carry a heavy bag up the stairs as the escalators were broken. It would have been easier if they were working or if it had a lift. Many pedestrians, specifically the old and physically challenged, face the same problem,” said Amit Jaiswal, a shopper.
A senior Noida Authority official said there was no provision for an elevator, though there was a space set aside for one.
“There is only provision for stairs. The escalators on the bridge are also working now,” the official said.
The FOB outside the Botanical Garden Metro station — an interchange station for the Blue Line and Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro — does not have escalators and lights.
“Having no lights on the overbridge makes it very unsafe. It is worse during rains and late hours. In winter it will worsen further. But I don’t think we can do anything but deal with it,” said Shrija Srivastava, a resident.
Sheetal Yadav, a regular mall visitor, said: “Absence of lifts and non-functional escalators is a problem. I have a huge bag which I need to carry down the stairs. I am sure that many people have luggage as the FOB is just outside the metro station.”
‘Work under progress’
Vansh Chaudhary, a pedestrian using the FOB, said: “The bridge is clearly a work under progress as the construction is not complete. The absence of lights, lifts and escalators is certainly an issue but I believe that eventually, they would be in place.”
The Noida Authority official, however, said the construction work had been completed.
“The lights may have been broken. We will get them checked and fixed. The work had earlier lost pace because of a court order,” the officer said.
While the foot overbridges pose a challenge for pedestrians, street vendors find the space suitable to sell their wares.
“I sit here daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and get many customers,” said, Arvind Kumar, a vendor selling socks.
Experts raised concerns over the condition of the FOBs.
“It is the basic rule that a structure should not be opened for public use until its construction is complete,” said Prof. P.K. Sarkar, director [transport] at the Asian Institute of Transport Development.
He added: “In India, most people don’t even choose to use these bridges until they are compelled by the presence of barriers or heavy traffic on the roads. This can be because FOBs do not provide the best connectivity.”
