Skywalk at Kengeri Satellite Town bus terminal in Bengaluru remains underutilised without elevator

Commuters to and from Kengeri Satellite Town bus terminal prefer crossing a dangerous road over using a skywalk due to accessibility issues.

Armed with a suitcase and a laptop, Joseph George, a resident of Fraser Town in his mid-40s, crosses over to the other side of the road to wait for his bus near the busy Kengeri Satellite Bus Terminal in Bengaluru. 

Ironically, a huge skywalk overlooks this dangerous road crossing. In the absence of an elevator or escalator, travellers wishing to access the bus stand or the metro station have preferred to take the road over the skywalk.

“People cross the road despite heavy traffic because the barricades have been removed, giving them an opportunity to cross. As long as the barricades stay open, everyone will continue to cross the road and not use the skywalk. To get people to use the skywalk, you need to put the barricades back in place,” he added.

A passenger from Ramanagara, waiting for her bus, said, “Travellers, especially older people, often struggle to use the skywalk, particularly when they have luggage. Women on their periods or those who are pregnant find it hard to climb the stairs, so they prefer crossing the road directly instead of using the skywalk. Traffic police often help passengers and the elderly cross the road because of the heavy traffic. An escalator or lift on the skywalk would help passengers reach the other side without crossing the road.” 

Rakshita R. Gowda, a postgraduate student from Kengeri, added, “The bus stops are opposite each other, so people prefer crossing the road to reach them instead of going across the skywalk.”

A traffic personnel at the Kengeri bus stop said the skywalk was built two years ago, but the lift still doesn’t work. “We initially put up two barricades to cover the crossing, but elderly and disabled people had extreme difficulties climbing the stairs and crossing the road. So, we opened the barricades to help them,” he said. However, he added that young people were also crossing the road now, creating a rush.

“Despite complaints from several people, no action has been taken yet. If the lift is made functional, we will definitely close the barricade again,” he added.