Regarding Construction of Skywalks and Foot-Over Bridges with Escalators as well as Ramps for Pedestrians and Physically Challenged People 

Dated: 03-12-2019

Dr. T. Sumathy (a) Thamizhachi Thangapandian (Chennai South):Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker, Sir, for having allowed me to raise an issue of public importance, especially regarding the pedestrians of my South Chennai Constituency. The Chennai metropolitan city is already bursting with a population of one crore people. Leave alone the floating population, it is bursting at the seams. Today, on World Disabled Day, there is a need for the construction of skywalks and foot-over-bridges with travelators as well as ramps, which is the need of the hour. Now, according to data from the Regional Transport Office, an average of 3,000 new vehicles is hitting the city roads every month. My South Chennai constituency forms a major part of the metro city but it is very badly affected by traffic congestion, ageing infrastructure and pedestrian-vehicular conflicts. So, I would like the Union Government to give thrust on taking up the Smart City Project and to construct several skywalks and foot-over bridges so as to make life easier for pedestrians as well as for physically challenged people.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is all set to draw up a Third Master Plan for the Chennai metropolitan area whose size would increase by seven-folds. In these circumstances, I urge the Union Government to take necessary steps to expedite the sanction and construction of skywalks and foot-over-bridges, with escalators as well as ramps which would ease the life of the physically challenged people. Thank you very much.