IT companies offer to build skywalks with escalators :Plan to set up seven skywalks on Sarjapur Outer Ring Road

So what if the BBMP is broke and does not have the money to build skywalks or install escalators in them The citys IT companies are willing to do it.They plan to build not one,but seven skywalks with escalators to help pedestriansas well as facilitate a hassle-free drive on the roads.The BBMP has already built one with an elevator at Majestic.

Most IT companies,irrespective of the associations they belong to,are coming together in the initiative.These companies have in place a traffic and transport system on Sarjapur Outer Ring Road (ORR) for decongesting traffic.

With the way traffic is growing in the city,we thought of a collective effort to bring all the stakeholders together, N S Rama,CEO,ELCIA(Electronics City Companies Association),told That's when we came up with the idea.The BBMP had similar plans,which have since gone into cold storage.

For the IT companies embarkingontheplan,theground work has already been done.We have the Silk Board traffic management study conducted earlier.Well take a relook at the study,incorporate necessary changes and then implement our plan, said Rama.

Sarjapur ORR,a part of the IT corridor,sees huge traffic,with most commuters heading towards Whitefield,ITPL,Marathahalli and Doddanekundi.IT firms have been launching several initiatives to decongest the corridor,including a common bus system,training and posting of traffic wardens and inculcating road and traffic discipline.The skywalk plan is theirlateststepinthatdirection.

According to Seetharam Vishwanath,the founder of Wheels,an association of IT firms and employees,more than 1,500 vehicles move every ten minutes on the stretch.Its difficult to hold up the traffic even for a few minutes.In order to improve traffic movement,we (IT firms) discussed several ideas.The skywalkplanwasoneoftheprominent solutions deliberated upon, he said.

The companies plan to build seven skywalks with escalators at seven vital points on Sarjapur ORR.Two of them would come up at BTM Junction.Each such skywalk would cost around Rs 2 crore.

A final decision will be taken in consultation with the city traffic police,BBMP and BDA.Our goal is to ease traffic congestion and help pedestrians as well as motorists, said Vishwanath.

Each skywalk will cost Rs 2 crore