Shankar Chowk foot over-bridge still on paper, commuters forced to cross Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway

GURUGRAM: The absence of a foot over-bridge (FoB) at Shankar Chowk is putting the lives of commuters and pedestrians at risk. As many as four persons lost their lives trying to cross the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway on foot this year.
Rapid Metro Gurugram Limited had earlier planned to build an FoB at the junction, but the proposal is on hold due to lack of clearances, sources said.

For most pedestrians, crossing Shankar Chowk is the only way to reach the Cyber City Rapid Metro station. Rashi Verma, a resident of Sector 37 who works in Udyog Vihar, said: “It’s not easy to cross Shankar Chowk in the morning or evening. We need an FoB at Shankar Chowk, but it seems to exist only on paper.” Karan Rao, who works with a renewable energy firm at Udyog Vihar 3 and crosses the stretch daily, added, “We want the FoB to be made at the earliest so that we can reach the other side safely.”

In 2015, Rapid Metro had proposed an FoB at Shankar Chowk for the convenience of commuters. Since then, it has been trying to get necessary clearances. The proposed 13.5-metre-long FoB will be built 5.5m above the flyover and connect Cyber City metro station with the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) office in Udyog Vihar.

NHAI has plans to make a unidirectional flyover at Shankar Chowk, but the project does not include an FoB. An NHAI official said, “Rapid Metro has not submitted plans for an FoB on the stretch.”

Rapid Metro officials said the FoB proposal is stuck due to high-tension electricity towers coming in its way. “The proposal is awaiting clearance from the authorities concerned,” a spokesperson told TOI.

Meanwhile, DLF has proposed a 350m skywalk over NH-8 at Shankar Chowk. The skywalk will link the proposed FoB to the Income Tax office. the developer has forwarded the proposal to the GMDA, which has also put it up on its website. Sources in DLF said the proposed skywalk, which will cost around Rs 12 crore, will only be made once the FoB is constructed. “There is no connectivity from Udyog Vihar to Cyber City metro station. Many pedestrians risk their lives to cross the highway just to reach the metro station. The skywalk will provide safe, illuminated and free connectivity to pedestrians, enabling them to travel to the metro station. We will build the skywalk when the FoB is constructed,” a DLF official said.

Till the FoB proposal remains on paper, pedestrians will continue to cross the expressway on foot.