It is in the heart of the city and promoted as a major destination for shoppers but the ever-busy M.G. Road remains a dangerous road for pedestrians here. Like this arterial road, other roads are posing danger for pedestrians due to lack of foot-over-bridges (FoBs).
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has already constructed two FoBs on Bandar Road but they are apparently not coming to the rescue of pedestrians effectively. Crossing the road near Raghavaiah Park, Kaleswararao Market, Sri Kanakadurga Temple, Bhavanipuram, Ramalayam and High School Road at Patamata is difficult for pedestrians. Women and children particularly are the worst sufferers.
Scary situationADVERTISEMENT
“It’s scary to cross the road in the city these days. During peak hours, motorcyclists zoom past ignoring safety of pedestrians,” complains a regular shopper K. Koteswara Rao. Hundreds of people cross the road in front of the bus stop at Raghavaiah Park to proceed towards Besant Road for shopping.
One can see people trying to cross the road by holding each other’s hands near the park.
“We are using the small gap created between the central median to cross the road. It’s a pathetic situation for us,” Mr. Rao rues. Almost same is the situation on Patamata main road. “No one cares for our safety. We carefully cross the road through the median while gesturing drivers to stop their vehicles,” says a school teacher Padmavathi.
ADVERTISEMENT
Vijayawada Municipal Corporation In-charge Chief Engineer T. Moses Kumar promises that the corporation would certainly look into the problems being faced by people. “If there is feasibility, we will try to consider it with the assistance of private agencies,” he says.
Traffic police requested the municipal officials to first identify danger spots and then take up the works. “If necessary, we will also assist them in selecting the right location for constructing FoBs,” a senior police adds.