The Mehdipatnam skywalk in Hyderabad is nearing completion and could open for public use within a month or, at the latest, two months, according to officials of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). The 390-metre elevated facility is being built to help pedestrians cross one of the city’s busiest traffic junctions safely.
Work on the project is in its final phase, with the installation of lifts, flooring, electrical systems and remaining civil works close to completion. HMDA officials said they are aiming to finish the work at the earliest, mostly by the end of the month, before preparing the facility for pedestrian use.
The skywalk is expected to provide connectivity for more than 50,000 pedestrians. It will have five entry and exit points located near the Rythu Bazaar, the Defence compound wall at the Military Garrison, the Mehdipatnam bus bay, the area near Humayun Nagar Police Station and Gudimalkapur Junction.
The structure is positioned 6.15 metres above the main asphalt road. It will be equipped with 13 high-capacity elevators, including a specialised chair lift intended for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, a senior HMDA official told Telangana Today. The facility is expected to connect key pedestrian movement points around the junction without requiring people to cross the busy road at surface level.
HMDA also plans to include coffee shops, snack lounges and other commercial units on the upper levels of the skywalk. LED strip installations and CCTV surveillance networks are planned as part of the facility’s lighting, security and visual design features.
The Mehdipatnam project will be Hyderabad’s second pedestrian skywalk of this type, following the facility established at Uppal. Its construction began in 2021 under the previous BRS government after the project was proposed as a way to protect pedestrians from high-speed traffic around the junction.
The project was originally scheduled for completion in 2023 but faced delays linked to defence land clearance, traffic-related challenges and a shortage of workers. HMDA officials also said traffic diversions imposed during construction at Mehdipatnam, a major transport and commercial node, contributed to the extension of the deadline.
The proposed opening timeline remains dependent on the completion of the remaining works, installation and operational preparation of the lifts, and the final readiness of the pedestrian access points. HMDA is expected to complete the remaining construction and prepare the skywalk for public use within the stated one- to two-month window.
