A walk at ITO intersection may soon rise above congestion, both literally and figuratively. The Public Works Department of Delhi Government has proposed a skywalk connecting Pragati Maidan Metro Station to its vicinity.
The elevated walkway would connect Tilak Marg, Sikandra Road, Police Headquarters (PHQ) at IP Marg and Bahadurshah Zafar Marg.
The proposal aims at ensuring pedestrian safety in the absence of subways and foot overbridges on the half-a-kilometre stretch. There is barely any space for pedestrian movement near Tilak Bridge, an area which is also prone to petty crimes.
At present, the stretch sees a footfall in lakhs daily. About 20,000 use the Pragati Maidan Metro Station. Walking to and from the station, however, remains a nightmare. The footpath is uneven and there is massive flow of traffic at the W-point nearby.
Moreover, pedestrian traffic is expected to increase when the Central Secretariat-Red Fort Metro line is commissioned and a station comes up on Bahadurshah Zafar Marg.
PWD chief engineer Sarvagaya Srivastava told The Pioneer that the skywalk has been conceptualised to allow safe pedestrian movement across the several criss-crossing roads and to connect bus stands.
The plan is part of the larger ITO development project and also involves redevelopment of the nullah behind Vikas Bhavan into a public green landscape.
It is proposed to connect Vikas Minar with the skywalk in front of PHQ through another elevated walkway or a foot overbridge. The road in front of Vikas Minar will be relaid. Bus stands of Pragati Maidan, Tilak Bridge and Sikandra Road will be connected to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg Metro Station (which is under construction) and PHQ at IP Marg.
According to Srivastava, the proposal will be put up before a committee headed by PWD secretary Arun Baroka.The ultra-modern and pedestrian-friendly skywalks would radiate from a central rotary on a pillar. Modalities for fixing height are being worked out, given structures like Metro viaduct and railway bridge in between, but estimates are pegged at Rs 60-70 crore.
PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan noted the several prominent Government establishments in the ITO area, pointing out that crowds were inevitable and added, “The number of pedestrians increases whenever there is a fair at Pragati Maidan or a match at the Ferozeshah Kotla.”