Foot overbridge near JIPMER finds few takers in Puducherry

A foot overbridge constructed at a cost of ₹2.4 crore in front of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) is finding few takers despite being equipped with lifts, as pedestrians continue to cross the busy highway.

The 31-metre-long facility was built to help patients, their relatives and others visiting the hospital cross the highway safely. More than 10,000 people visit JIPMER every day.

Visitors alighting from buses bound for Tindivanam and Kooteripattu often use a gap in the median to cross the road, risking their lives. Despite the availability of the bridge, there has been little visible change in pedestrian movement outside the hospital.

Women carrying infants, elderly people and patients are among those crossing the carriageway near the traffic signal beneath the bridge, exposing themselves to moving vehicles instead of using the designated facility.

The bridge has two staircases and lifts on either side to help elderly people and persons with disabilities avoid climbing stairs. It is also equipped with LED lighting, CCTV cameras and steel railings. However, these facilities have not translated into wider use.

“Building a bridge is only one part of the solution. Authorities must ensure that people can access it easily. Traffic police personnel should be deployed at the junction to regulate pedestrian movement and guide hospital visitors towards the bridge. The traffic signal should also be made fully effective to ensure safe crossings,” an urban planner said.

S. Prasanna, a resident of Veerampattinam, recalled the fate of an older pedestrian facility near the bus stand.

“The old foot overbridge near the bus stand had no lifts and fell into disuse. The new bridge near JIPMER has lifts, but authorities must ensure that it is accessible and used regularly so that it does not meet the same fate. Proper maintenance, clear signs and guidance for pedestrians are also essential to encourage people to use the facility,” he said.