The Parisa NGO has found the conditions of foot over bridges (FOBs) and subways across the city to be in a poor state in an independent survey conducted earlier this year.
The survey assessed the condition of 13 pedestrian subways and nine FOBs in Pune after a physical site visit and conditions using parameters defined in the city’s pedestrian policy.
This report is yet to be presented to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), but shows that many facilities of subways and FOBs are poor in terms of lighting, ventilation, have no firefighting equipment, and have water seepage.
According to Priya Pharanade, Parisar NGO junior programme associate, the organisation conducted the survey between December 2020 and January 2021 by visiting 16 subways, of which conditions of 13 were noted.
“During our survey, we found that three subways are closed, while we found that there are two subways for vehicle movement and a pedestrian subway. Similarly, we surveyed 10 FOBs of which only one FOB was closed. After conducting the survey, we think that subways and foot overbridges are undesirable and should not be constructed, and if the authorities are planning more they should be maintained and should be used by people,” said Pharande.
“It should be maintained, so pedestrians can use it. Some of the subways and FOBs are closed because of not being maintained properly and others are not used much as it is not convenient. This means that large amount of public money has been wasted on FOBs and subways which in the absence of proper maintenance makes them a dead expenditure,” added Pharande.
{{/usCountry}}“It should be maintained, so pedestrians can use it. Some of the subways and FOBs are closed because of not being maintained properly and others are not used much as it is not convenient. This means that large amount of public money has been wasted on FOBs and subways which in the absence of proper maintenance makes them a dead expenditure,” added Pharande.
{{/usCountry}}According to Pune’s pedestrian policy, PMC should ensure regular maintenance and security for the pedestrian infrastructure (including FOBs, subways) to retain it in a good, clean, usable and safe condition at all times. Ward officers are responsible for pedestrian infrastructure in respective ward areas and necessary coordination with other departments such as road, traffic, electrical, garden department.
“They have to ensure regular maintenance and security of existing FOBs, subways to retain it in a good, clean, usable and safe condition at all times in the pedestrian policy,” Pharande said.
Box
Total surveyed subways- 16
Condition noted down- 13
Closed subways- 3
Vehicle + pedestrian subway - 2
Total surveyed FOBs - 10
Open FOBs- 9
Closed FOB- 1