Hyderabad: The under-construction skywalk, or foot-over-bridge (FoB), at Mehdipatnam is facing criticism online, with citizens raising serious concerns over its design, low clearance, and overall planning.

The 390-metre-long skywalk at Mehdipatnam is a mega project aimed at easing pedestrian movement at one of the city's busiest junctions. It is being constructed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) at a cost of Rs 32.97 crore.

Shaik Nizam, a resident of Tolichowki, pointed out that before the construction of the PVNR Expressway, there was an FoB at the same location. "It reflects the short-sightedness of authorities that the earlier FoB was demolished to make way for the PVNR Expressway without exploring alternatives like a subway," he said.

He added that design flaws could defeat the very purpose of the project. "Even if pedestrians avoid the road and use this skywalk, traffic flow will still move at a snail's pace. This is an example of poor urban planning and execution," Nizam remarked.

Residents of Mehdipatnam and regular pedestrians have also voiced frustration on social media. They flagged issues such as low clearance that may force pedestrians to bend or crawl, poor pillar placement obstructing walkways, and structural elements contributing to congestion near the bus stop.

An observer, Revathi, said, "With such low clearance, people may need obstacle course training and commando crawling to cross the bridge. It appears that those involved in the design may not have even walked on an FoB."