In Chennai’s T Nagar, one of the longest skywalks in the country will open soon. Here’s what you need to know

The skywalk has elevators at both ends, one escalator at the bus stand end, CCTVs surveillance connected to the Mambalam police station, and restrooms to facilitate the commuters.

According to GCC officials, the structure’s construction started in 2020 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo: Twitter/@chennaicorp)

According to GCC officials, the structure’s construction started in 2020 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief engineer S Rajendran told indianexpress.com that the skywalk’s construction at one of the busiest areas in the city was challenging.

“The multi-modal project connects the railway station and bus stand. It will help pedestrians. People who reach the city from the southern parts of the state find it difficult to commute to the station and the bus stand due to the gathering at Ranganathan Street, which gets too crowded during festivals like Deepavali. People had to throng through the crowded street with their heavy bags to reach their point, and we believe this exclusive pedestrian skywalk will help them overcome those issues,” he said.

The skywalk has elevators at both ends, one escalator at the bus stand end, CCTVs surveillance connected to the Mambalam police station, and restrooms to facilitate the commuters. (Photo: Twitter/@chennaicorp)

He said they faced difficulty removing shops for the facility’s construction but managed to do it after promising street vendors of suitable alternative places.

“We also plan to place some wheelchairs for differently-abled people. If people find it difficult to walk that long, we have plans to have a walkalator, which is commonly seen in airports, and depending on the strength of the structure, probably, a battery vehicle as well, but these are just initial thoughts. It will be challenging to maintain them properly as they are usually used in closed spaces. An idea to build a similar skywalk at some other point is on the proposal. Let’s see how it goes,” he added.

The officer said they would monitor the skywalk closely to ensure no one occupies the bridge causing inconvenience to the pedestrians.