Pedestrians at the Mehdipatnam junction have become a victim of the on-again and off-again relations between the Centre and the State, as vouched by the incomplete skywalk at the junction.
While its more fortunate cousin at Uppal is complete in all respects and ready for launch, the skywalk at Mehdipatnam has been suffering a lot of birthing pains. Initially, it was the design that posed challenges, owing to the trouble circumventing the express way, and later, it is the intransigence of the Defence authorities in parting with the military property required for construction.
Multiple correspondences with the military authorities and the Defence Minister yielded no result, which is apparent from the exasperation displayed by Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao during his interaction with the national media on this and other issues pertaining to creation of civic infrastructure in the city.
There was a glimmer of hope when a meeting between the Minister and the General Officer Commanding of Dakshin Bharat Area A. Arun in April last year ended positively and the Army promised to cooperate with the city’s civic authorities with regard to Balkapur nala work and the skywalk construction at Mehdipatnam.
Reassured by the outcome of the meeting, HMDA started works on the skywalk last year, which progressed briskly towards Asif Nagar, where the right of way was available. Th deadline to complete the structure was March this year, which was later postponed to May. HMDA, however, missed both the deadlines.
Mr. Rama Rao’s latest letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged the requirement of half acre of defence land near Rythu Bazar of Mehdipatnam to finish the project.
Higher officers of HMDA said that the Centre has not parted with the land on the military garrison side either. Part of the bus bay at the location had to be cleared for accommodating the skywalk, they said.
Need for the skywalk
Urgency of the pedestrian facility cannot be stressed more at the busy junction prone to accidents.
Being built in glass and steel, the skywalk is designed with six access points. At a height of 6.15 metres from the ground, the 380-metre bridge will be supported by suspension cords.
Sixteen elevators with a combined capacity of 450 passengers will help access the facility, apart from an elevator chair proposed for physically challenged.
The project also includes the construction of a commercial complex with a two-lane bus bay on the ground floor. Total estimated cost is ₹34.28 crore.
