Demand for foot overbridges grows louder in Visakhapatnam

Crossing busy roads at various areas of the city posing risk to pedestrians, say people

The demand for foot overbridges (FOB) across various parts of the city is increasing with every passing day. With the increase in vehicular population and possibility of road accidents, locals say that the authorities should look into the aspect immediately to provide safe passage for pedestrians.

Among other areas, people from Madhurawada have been demanding to construct FOB near Chandrampalem Junction, since many years. The issue was brought before the government officials and political representatives several times, but invain. Recently in the council meet organised at GVMC, Ward 6 Corporator M Priyanka too expressed the need to construct a FOB keeping in view of thousands of students of ZP High School Chandrampalem and residents of Madhurawada, crossing the traffic junction that has high flow of vehicular traffic.

On Monday, when traffic expert committee constituted by the city police which is touring various police sub-divisions. conducted a meeting at ZP High School, Madhurawada., students from the school and other residents sought construction of FOB. They said that hundreds of pedestrians cross the NH-16 to go to markets, shopping complexes and educational institutions.

“To ensure no untoward incidents, police have deployed a few traffic policemen as well as pedestrian traffic signal at Chandrampalem. However public still fear to cross the road due to heavy traffic movement, as the vehicular movement, especially in the morning, is very high” said a senior traffic police officer from the city, who also added that the demand for FOB is justified. He recalled that a three-year old boy was recently killed in a road accident, while crossing the highway with his mother at Madhurawada in July 2021.

Maddilapalem is another area where pedestrians demand a FOB. Hundreds of people, especially school and college going students, cross the NH-16 on both the sides dangerously while going or coming to Maddilapalem RTC Bus depot, the second biggest bus station after Dwaraka Bus Complex.

“People keep on crossing the NH-16 at Maddilapalem depot throughout the day. Especially during peak hours, traffic congestions are reported in the Krishna College-Maddilapalem route due to this problem. Apart from traffic issue, it is a very risky for people to cross busy road to board buses,” said Shanthi Swaroop, a resident of Maddilapalem and a B.Tech student.

Similarly, the same demand is being echoed from the residents of Thatichetlapalem-Kancharapalem areas apart from Old Gajuwaka Junction for a long time, as they too are forced to cross the highway.