Delhi’s longest skywalk becomes selfie point
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Meant to be used by 40,000 pedestrians, ITO Skywalk is a hit with photography enthusiasts instead Inaugurated late last year, the ITO Skywalk in New Delhi is the longest skywalk in the capital, built by DFI, New Delhi. Connecting four principal roads, the nodes cater to around 25 major offices and institutions including a robust, well-networked public transportation system. The problem it faced, within a few months of its opening, is that pedestrians were unwilling to use it. However, the city’s photography enthusiasts have made it their own, uploading favorable reviews and photos. Google user Tripify Geek wrote: “…The design, the structure, the architecture are simply superb. At night, it is lit with white lights and which adds to its beauty. It is great to see such kind of structures in India which are functional as well as aesthetically appealing. Else you always see footover bridges or skywalk which merely solve the purpose of crossing the road. This is different from them.”
The serpentine tube design defies the solidity of the surroundings. Designed not just as a medium of mobility, the ITO Skywalk is also envisioned as an elevated landmark within the city. A combination of art and strategy, it is made with crisscross boot lace trusses covered with tensile fabric. Areas serviced by the Skywalk are: Sikandra Road, Mathura Road, Tilak Marg, and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and also the ITO and Pragati Maidan Metro stations. The Supreme Court and Railway Colony junctions are conceived in the form of octagonal units with steel crowns, featuring granite flooring and S.S. glass railings. Glass lifts are installed at every junction to provide transparency and safety for users. Public Wi-Fi and surveillance system are additional features. Patches of green coalesce with a combination of functional and façade lighting, making the over-bridge appealing yet economical. DFI’s other notable projects include Dakshineshwar Skywalk (Kolkata) and Delhi High Court’s new courts block. Other projects underway are the new terminal for the Guwahati International Airport, the Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi, and an overhaul of the Amritsar Railway Station.
