Crossing Race Course Road a task for pedestrians after railings come up

BENGALURU: If you have been to the Chalukya Circle, then you will know how haphazardly people cross the road, exposing themselves to danger. So, what has the BBMP done here? A few months ago, it has put up iron railings to prevent people from crossing over after they get off buses.

Some time ago, pedestrians were greeted with iron dividers at Chalukya Circle just as they got down from the bus. They looked around and saw no alternative way to reach their offices or college on the opposite side of the road, forcing them to walk over a kilometre from Race Course Road.

Pedestrians have to walk about a kilometre to get to the other side of the road.

Walking the distance may seem like doable, but walking on the side of the road with vehicles zipping past in peak traffic can be a task. People are risking their lives walking alongside the road divider with some even daring to climb on the railings and cross over.

Students take risks climbing over the barricade.

Many offices such as Shakti Bhavan, Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, and the ACB are on one side of Chalukya Circle and people have to either take an auto or walk to reach their offices from the bus stop.

“The bus stop is on the other side and we have to come all around to cross the road. It’s a big problem for us. The skywalk construction has been stopped midway, we don’t know when it will be completed”, said Shashank, a student.

Students Shashank and Yashaswini say they face problems every day.

“There’s always heavy traffic at Chalukya Circle. Even if we have to go out for lunch, we have to go all around”, says Yashaswini, another student.

Considering that middle-aged people are also among the office-goers, the BBMP would do well to provide a skywalk to make it safer for pedestrians who have to walk long distances to their offices from the bus stop.