HYDERABAD: A recently constructed foot overbridge (FOB) and skywalk at Mehdipatnam in Hyderabad sparked significant online debate. Citizens and political activists raised concerns about its design, practicality, and potential misuse of public funds.
Although authorities intended the bridge as a pedestrian-friendly structure, critics raised concerns about its low clearance and poorly positioned pillars. Residents reported that the design forces commuters to crouch or crawl to cross.
The controversy erupted after Revathi, a user on X (formerly Twitter), posted pictures of the skywalk with a sarcastic caption, "ENGINEERING MARVEL - HYDERABAD CHAPTER!! … Here is a foot over bridge in Mehadipatnam, Hyderabad, which was constructed recently! Citizens are now wondering if they should take up obstacle course training and practice commando crawls to literally make it from one end of the bridge to the other." She further alleged that significant funds were misused.
Adding to the criticism, another user, Santhosh (@santhoshadvocte), highlighted a design flaw. He noted that a yellow line of cement blocks, intended to prevent heavy vehicles from striking the bridge, has instead caused a significant traffic bottleneck.
Explaining the impact, he commented, "The marked yellow line of cement blocks is to make sure heavy-sized vehicles do not come under the foot overbridge, as it might hit the bridge. But what is happening is it's creating a traffic jam! On the left side of it, there is the busy Mehdipatnam bus stop. That space has become like a bottleneck, making it difficult for vehicles to pass by."
Mohd. A. Khaleel, a member of the All India Professional Congress, called for an investigation into the individuals responsible for proposing and approving the skywalk. Khaleel tweeted criticism of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), described the project as a waste of public funds, and suggested that the GHMC should be privatized for the benefit of Hyderabad residents. Khaleel also questioned the qualifications of the engineers involved and urged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to visit the site and assess the structure.
Vennela Kishore Reddy (@Kishoreddyk) noted that the then Municipal Minister KTR and HMDA Commissioner Arvind Kumar created and approved the design in 2020. He further reminded that authorities investigated Arvind Kumar for misappropriating HMDA funds for an E-car race.
Residents of Mehdipatnam expressed frustration on social media and local forums. They raised concerns about low clearance requiring pedestrians to duck or crawl, poor pillar placement obstructing walking paths, cement block barriers causing traffic congestion near the bus stop, and a perceived lack of practicality, suggesting that engineers did not adequately assess the site before construction.
Concluding with calls for accountability, many residents now call for a high-level inquiry into the allocation of funds and the approval process. Some advocate for officials to demolish and rebuild the structure.