Finally, pedestrian safety on NH 4 moves to top gear

Pedestrian subways to come up between Peenya and Hessaraghatta

The stretch of road beneath the elevated highway has turned extremely dangerous for pedestrians in the past two years. File photo: K. Murali Kumar

The Government on Wednesday ordered construction of four pedestrian subways between Peenya and Hessaraghatta Cross on National Highway 4 in view of the risk to the lives of thousands of pedestrians after the road widening and construction of elevated highway.

The Hindu had reported on the risk to the lives of pedestrians crossing the highway (‘Safety of pedestrians is at risk on this stretch of NH 4', August 2, 2010). As many as 64 of the 100 road fatalities on NH 4 between Yeshwanthpur and the Jindal campus are pedestrians.

Home Minister R. Ashok, who is also in-charge of Bangalore city, did a spot inspection on Wednesday following complaints about the abysmal facilities for pedestrians on this stretch, which is dotted by thousands of small, medium and large industries, including those located at the Peenya Industrial Estate.

Of the lakhs of pedestrians on this road daily, some unfortunate few become the victims of road fatalities while crossing the busy highway.

The subways

The Minister directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) to construct at least four pedestrian subways, one each at Peenya, Jalahalli Cross, Dasarahalli bus-stop and Hessaraghatta Cross, and invited the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which has widened the national highway and constructed the elevated road, to participate in this venture.

BMRCL Chief Engineer (Reach 3) P.N. Nayak said his corporation would conduct a survey along with BBMP on where to locate the subways. As Namma Metro stations would be coming up on one side of the NH 4 (on the right-hand side from the city), the subways are essential for pedestrian safety, he said.

Hazardous

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Safety) M. Abdulla Saleem pointed out that the stretch of road beneath the elevated highway (4.5 km) has turned extremely dangerous for pedestrians for the past two years. At least a lakh people cross the road near Jalahalli Cross every day and absence of any kind of safety mechanism has become a cause for concern for the traffic police.

NHAI Regional Director R.K. Gupta said he will send the proposal to the headquarters in New Delhi and the Authority will take a suitable decision in participating in the subway project.