Foot overbridges (FOBs) in Gurugram, built to offer pedestrians a safe passage across the city’s congested roads, have become symbols of neglect, revealed HT’s spotchecks. With escalators permanently out of service, nonfunctional lights, and staircases covered in filth, these bridges remain largely unused, forcing pedestrians to risk crossing busy roads instead.
At IFFCO Chowk, the pedestrian bridge is covered in dust and garbage, with the escalator lying defunct for months. “Nobody uses it because it’s not maintained. It’s just a waste of infrastructure,” said Aditya Pandey, who works at Tesla Power. The bridge connects IFFCO Chowk to HUDA City Centre and Jaipur Highway, but its location sees little footfall, with most pedestrians using Atul Kataria Chowk due to the presence of MDI College.
A spot check by HT in Sector 30 near Signature Towers revealed similar conditions, with a non-functional escalator. “The bridge is not convenient because it takes more time to use it,” said Shauna Harshana, a shopkeeper in the area.
Safety concerns for women, the elderly, and commuters
At Hero Honda Chowk, escalators remain out of order, and the lack of lighting makes the bridge unsafe for women and elderly people after dark. The bridge is covered with paan stains, locals said. “People are scared to use the bridge at night. It’s dark, deserted, and stinks of urine. If a person is alone, it’s safer to walk on the road,” said Anita Mishra, a private-sector employee.
The steep stairs also pose challenges for women and those carrying bags or children. “I tried using the bridge once, but with my saree and a heavy bag, it was exhausting. Now I just cross the road like everyone else. It’s risky, but at least I don’t feel trapped on that bridge,” said Poonam Yadav, a homemaker near IFFCO Chowk.
Lack of maintenance
The maintenance of these FOBs falls under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), officials said. “Initially, these bridges were constructed for junctions proposed by the Haryana government and later handed over to NHAI for development. Since maintenance is not in our mandate, GMDA (Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority) was asked to handle routine upkeep. However, we received many complaints about GMDA’s lack of maintenance. We are now implementing repair and cleanliness plans, starting with the foot over bridge at Rajiv Chowk,” said Akash Pardy, district project officer, NHAI.
Residents have raised similar concerns about other FOBs. “The escalators and lights at Sector 37 near the T-Point FOB are not working. GMDA should maintain these properly to ensure safe crossings for pedestrians,” said Naveen Bhardwaj, a resident of Sector 10. He also suggested placing signboards to inform people about these bridges, as many are unaware of their existence.
In 2024, GMDA announced plans to build four new foot over bridges at an estimated cost of ₹16 crore. However, construction has yet to begin.
HT reached out to GMDA for a response over these complaints, but officials refused to comment.
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