After years of delay, circular skywalk set to transform Banashankari Junction

Bengaluru: Namma Metro has finally initiated the process to build the long-pending pedestrian skywalk at the busy Banashankari Junction in southern Bengaluru. 

The skywalk will connect the Banashankari metro station to the Banashankari Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC). Officials say construction is expected to start by the end of the year and will take 15 months to complete. 

The project will involve redesigning the chaotic intersection, relocating utility lines and removing trees to make way for the skywalk. 

It will be the first-of-its-kind circular skywalk in Bengaluru with landscaping at both road and skywalk levels, resting pods and commercial outlets. 

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) recently invited tenders from eligible companies to design and construct the skywalk. 

The Banashankari metro station, which opened in June 2017, is located about 200 metres from the TTMC. However, there is still no seamless connectivity between these transit hubs. Passengers are forced to cross the busy road to switch between metro and bus services. 

The project was delayed mainly due to a dispute between the BMRCL and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) over funding and construction. 

LS Tejasvi Surya, Bangalore South MP,  said the project was approved in the BBMP budget last year after he actively pushed for it and followed up with authorities. 

"The BBMP has provided funds for this skywalk, while the BMRCL will construct it," he told DH. 

The parliamentarian highlighted three key elements of the skywalk: it should not be an eyesore but aesthetically pleasing; there should be seamless accessibility for the disabled, senior citizens and pregnant women; and the BMRCL should provide space for commercial establishments such as cafeterias to generate non-fare revenue. 

BL Yashavanth Chavan, Chief Public Relations Officer, BMRCL, said that the BBMP was initially supposed to build the skywalk, but the BMRCL had now been asked to take the responsibility. 

"The skywalk will have several facilities, including landscaping and resting pods at both lower and upper levels. A clear picture will emerge after the final design is ready," he added. 

Yogeesh Prabhuswamy, a public transport enthusiast, noted that the skywalk should have been built when the metro station first opened. 

"This skywalk will certainly help because the Banashankari Junction, like many other intersections in Bengaluru, is not pedestrian-friendly. Crossing it is a nightmare," he said and urged authorities to construct ramps for better accessibility. 

Skywalk stats

Design: Circular skywalk with ramps

Length: 280 metres

Width: 6 metres

Cost: Rs 40-45 crore (fully funded by BBMP)

Facilities: Landscaping at lower and upper levels, lifts, resting pods, etc. 

Deadline: Second half of 2027