Hyderabad: Lifts at FOBs conk out, throw citizens into tizzy

Hyderabad

Scores of pedestrians, especially elderly and students continue to face inconvenience as elevators installed at the city foot-over-bridges (FOBs) have stopped functioning again. People are forced to take stairs. Notably, after their inauguration, lifts were made operational for some days before being stopped.

Concerned over the safety of residents and pedestrians, the civic authorities set up about 10 FOBs in the city, but for most the lift facility is not functional due to no electricity connection and no proper maintenance. Moreover, a few FOBs don't have elevators.

The Sultan-ul-Uloom FOB at Road No 3, Banjara Hills, which is considered a busy road; the 8,000-odd students and faculty of the Sultan-ul-Uloom Educational Society---which houses a school, a junior college as well as pharmacy, law, and engineering colleges---used the lift facility in 2018 after the FOB was inaugurated.

A faculty of engineering college, Sudhakar Rao, said, "the installation work of two lifts was completed around two years ago. The authorities failed to make them operational in the absence of an electric metre, due to which senior faculty members and even some students are forced to take steps even after having lift facility."

Another FOB lift in front of KBR Park, near the LV Prasad Eye Institute, has stopped working. Many patients of the institute and several elderly persons, including patients' families, try to go to the other side of the road for getting food, snacks, or tea. With dysfunctional lifts, some choose to cross the road by holding hands. The busy road, which falls in a VIP corridor, was plagued with multiple accidents owing to the high-intensity traffic flowing in from the Jubilee Check Post. With no lifts functioning, it is a nightmare to cross this stretch; especially for senior citizens. Mohammed Sujath, a pedestrian of Jubilee Hills, said, "I have noticed that lifts were installed at the FOB, but were not made operational. What is the use of a facility meant for the public if it does not function? If elevators were installed by the authorities, they must also ensure that they are operational regularly."

On the one hand, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is making plans to construct 30 more FOBs. When asked about the maintenance of existing FOBs the officials maintained silence. On the other, pedestrians continue to use stairs to reach the other side of the road or to bus stations.