Bengaluru City University has initiated work on a 30-metre covered skywalk across Palace Road, moving forward with a long-pending pedestrian safety project that will connect its main campus with the Prasanna Kumar Block. The steel pedestrian overbridge is expected to cost around Rs 3.67 crore and is likely to be completed within six months of construction beginning.
The university will fund the project, while the Karnataka Housing Board has been entrusted with executing the work. The board is in the final stage of the tender process, according to an official. Construction will begin after the Housing Board issues the work order.
The proposed structure will have staircases at both ends and a covered walkway designed to protect pedestrians from Bengaluru’s sun and rain. It will not include a lift because the university intends the facility primarily for students and staff, according to the report.
The project responds to a daily crossing problem on Palace Road near KR Circle and Dr BR Ambedkar Veedhi. The road carries heavy traffic throughout the day, while the university’s two blocks are located on opposite sides. In the absence of a dedicated pedestrian crossing or traffic signal at the location, students and staff currently wait for gaps in moving traffic before crossing.
Students have reported minor accidents while making the crossing, and the demand for a safer connection between the buildings has remained pending for several years. The proposed skywalk is intended to remove pedestrians from the traffic stream as they travel between classrooms, offices and other university facilities.
“This has been a long-standing demand of students. There have been a couple of minor accidents while crossing the road. The university will provide the funds, while the Housing Board will execute the project,” said Prof Ramesh B, Vice-Chancellor of Bengaluru City University.
The use of steel is part of the university’s proposed design approach, with sources saying the structure will be planned to blend with the surrounding cityscape. Its covered design is also expected to improve the crossing experience during monsoon showers, when pedestrians currently have to negotiate the busy road in the rain.
The project places the responsibility for funding and implementation with two separate public institutions. Bengaluru City University is providing the money, while the Karnataka Housing Board is handling the tender and construction process. This arrangement means that the immediate milestone is the issue of the work order after the tender is finalised.
Once completed, the skywalk will provide a direct, weather-protected link between the university’s main campus and the Prasanna Kumar Block. The six-month construction timeline will begin after the Housing Board formally awards the work.
