As of Now, No Sky-Walk-Just the Sky?
Mangaluru: It’s been more than three-and-a-half months after the foundation stone for the city’s first pedestrian Sky-Walk was laid, the project is yet to take off. There has been no signs any work being started until now. With its structural design not yet ready, there is no clarity on how exactly to meet the shortage of fund required for completing the project. Karnataka Coastal Development Authority (KCDA) laid the foundation stone for the project on August 23 to connect the Town Hall side with the Mini Vidhana Soudha side. During the foundation stone laying ceremony, officials had said that the project would be completed within a year. Guess what- as of now, no work has started?
The former president of the KCDA Nivedith Alva chose the location as it was heavily crowded. Passengers who came from Mangaluru Central also crossed the road in the same location to board city buses. The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs. 1.56 crore and the Nirmiti Kendra has been asked to build it.
Pradeep D’Souza, secretary, KCDA speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “The authority would contribute Rs. 78 lakh and the Mangaluru City Corporation would bear 5 per cent of the total cost of the project. The remaining amount would have to be collected from other sources. J.R. Lobo, Mangaluru City South MLA, has assured of getting the same. The government has approved the project, and Nirmiti Kendra is now in the process of getting the structural design of the project done. Soil test for taking up the project has been completed. If the agency which has been asked to submit the structural design failed to provide the same within the fortnight the kendra would ask any other agency to prepare and submit it”.
It is learnt that, as per the plan, there would be escalators on both sides for going up. For climbing down, only stairs would be available. This is mainly to get more people to use the sky walk. The revenue department would hand over the land only after submitting the proposal of the project. It would be submitted only after the structural design was ready.
After building the sky-walk, the authority would hand it over to the corporation for maintenance. The civic body has also approved the project.
Among the many congested road-crossing with heavy traffic movement in the City, road crossing near Mini Vidhana Soudha and Town Hall is one among them, where thousands of people alighting from the trains have to cross this busy road, either to go to school/college, market, hospital, shopping spree etc etc. Considering all the hassles and inconveniences faced by these commuters-state, district and MCC officials had decided to build a Sky-Walk to ease all these problems at this area- but looking at the present situation God only knows when this Sky-Walk will come up- Until then, commuters have to face the inconveniences as usual!
Also Read Related Report Below:
Foundation Stone Laid for Rs 1 Cr 57 Lakh ‘Sky-Walk’ Project