Hyderabad: Crossing St John’s Road between Secunderabad Railway Station and Sangeet Junction has become a daunting task for pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren. Continuous traffic movement and inadequate pedestrian facilities have made the stretch beneath the Secunderabad East Metro station a major safety concern.One of the busiest roads in Secunderabad, St John’s Road is narrow and crowded throughout the day. The problem is particularly acute near the Secunderabad East Metro station, where hundreds of students from nearly a dozen educational institutions in the vicinity cross the road after getting off RTC buses and other modes of transport.With traffic moving continuously in both directions, students are often forced to dash across the road or use the two or three openings in the median beneath the metro line to reach the other side. They frequently have to wait in the middle of the road for several minutes for a gap in the traffic.A Class X student of the nearby Seth Banwarilal Goel Government High School said crossing the stretch was particularly difficult during school hours.“Vehicles are coming from both sides, and we have to wait for a gap to cross. Many children find it frightening,” the student said.V Ashok, a motorist who frequently uses the stretch, said the absence of a designated pedestrian crossing also created confusion for motorists.“Students suddenly try to cross between moving vehicles. A proper pedestrian facility would make the road safer for both motorists and pedestrians,” said Ashok, a resident of Sitaphalmandi.M A Kaleemullah, a retired teacher from Chilkalguda, said a zebra crossing might provide some relief but may not be sufficient to ensure safe passage given the heavy traffic. He suggested constructing a foot-overbridge (FOB) connecting the RTC bus stop near the South-Central Railway Employees’ Sangh (SCRES) office to the opposite side of the road near the metro parking shed. “An FOB could provide students and other pedestrians with a safer way to cross the busy road while helping ease traffic movement on St John’s Road,” the retired teacher added.A GHMC official from the Secunderabad zone said that the civic body would examine pedestrian safety concerns along the stretch and consider suitable measures based on traffic conditions and feasibility.
