Fri Oct 03 04:05:49 UTC 2025: **Bengaluru’s Skywalks: A Bridge Too Far for Pedestrians?**
**Bengaluru, October 3, 2025** – Despite significant investment in pedestrian infrastructure, many of Bengaluru’s foot overbridges (FOBs) and skywalks remain underutilized, raising questions about their effectiveness in improving pedestrian safety and reducing traffic congestion.
A recent survey reveals that many residents avoid using these facilities due to a combination of factors, including a lack of user-friendliness, inconvenient locations, and safety concerns.
Students at St. John’s Medical College, for example, frequently choose to dash across the road rather than use a nearby FOB, citing its inconvenience. Similar scenes are playing out across the city, with many FOBs showing signs of neglect and corrosion.
One major deterrent is the unreliability of lifts and escalators. Earlier this year, a woman was trapped in a lift at a skywalk in Nagarabhavi, highlighting the potential dangers.
According to Bangalore Traffic Police, over 200 pedestrians lost their lives in road accidents in 2024. Whether the lack of safe and usable FOBs contributed to these fatalities is a point of contention.
Experts argue that the location and design of FOBs are crucial to their success. “An FOB looks uninviting if one has to cover considerable ground to reach it,” says one expert. They suggest making access points more appealing and ensuring FOBs are integrated into a wider network of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
Civic authorities acknowledge the challenges, including vandalism of lifts and the high cost of maintenance. They are urged to consider behavioral insights from the design stage to increase the patronage of these facilities.
“Comfort is the hook, rather than safety,” says Behavioral Strategist Prakash Sharma. “Skywalks should be aesthetic. The steps should not look intimidating…openness signals safety.”
The Bengaluru Traffic Police have proposed the construction of 78 new skywalks to alleviate congestion caused by pedestrian crossings. However, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) prefers to implement these projects through public-private partnerships, citing financial constraints.
Some experts argue that at-grade crossings with safety measures are preferable to FOBs, as they require less effort for pedestrians. Others point to successful examples of FOBs in other cities, such as Mumbai and Surat.
The future of Bengaluru’s skywalks hinges on addressing the concerns of pedestrians and adopting a more holistic approach to pedestrian infrastructure development.
First Piper 