From afar, overhead bridges seem like a decent provision for those hoping to cross the road, however, for pedestrians with limited mobility due to disability, sickness or a growing belly in the way, the crossing is nothing but a threshold of ignorance.
According to a survey conducted by the Express Tribune, multiple pedestrian bridges including those near Ichhra, Shama, Mozang Chungi, Ferozepur Road, Jinnah Hospital, the University of Punjab, Johar Town and Canal Road are in a deplorable state, with their stairs either broken or too steep, the iron lattices rusty and lighting negligible. Moreover, with no ramps or lifts available, the needs of people with disabilities, elderly persons and pregnant women are left completely ignored.
Usman Mahmood, who uses an electric wheelchair to navigate the city, revealed that he always had to rely on others to cross the road since no ramps were available at the crossing. Similarly, an elderly man, Mohammad Rafique, revealed that he too was unable to use the pedestrian bridge since his frail legs did not allow him to climb the steep, long stairs.
On the other hand, Ayesha Bibi, a pregnant woman, who visited the Jinnah Hospital for her prenatal checkups, shared her mortifying experience with the nearby pedestrian bridge. “Since the stairs were very steep, I had to sit in the middle and slide down with the help of others. Such stairs might not cause trouble to a healthy man, but they are very challenging for a sick or pregnant person,” lamented Ayesha.
Like Ayesha, several other women too voiced their concerns over the futility of the pedestrian bridge for women. “Many women are afraid to use the bridges at night due to the lack of cleanliness and adequate lighting. Most of the time there is a bunch of drug addicts sitting around the bridge, due to which women do not feel safe,” shared Rubina Anwar, a resident of Gulberg.
Despite these complaints from citizens, the biggest problem is institutional negligence. The construction and maintenance of these bridges is divided among different institutions, including the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) while at some places the Communication and Works (C&W) Department, and the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) are also mentioned.
Unfortunately, however, no department is willing to accept responsibility for the state of the pedestrian bridges. As a result, many of these bridges have been lying in a deplorable condition for years.
With the pedestrian bridges in Lahore failing to serve their true purpose, people with disabilities, women and senior citizens are unable to benefit from them. Thanks to institutional neglect, pedestrians find it easier to cross the road on foot and often end up risking their lives. According to experts, if immediate steps are not taken, these bridges will continue to be a constant nuisance rather than a convenience for citizens.
Urban planner Dr Adnan Khan opined that these bridges had just become a show project and were not serving their main purpose. “If these structures fail to accommodate the people with disabilities and have no lighting or cleanliness arrangements, then they are not beneficial for the citizens. Instead of building new bridges, it would be better to standardise the old bridges, install ramps and lifts and make the environment around them safer,” urged Dr Khan.
