Bridges, anyone?

It was a scorching afternoon. Two students got off a mini bus and stood at the pavement to cross the road. It was a busy street and at the peak of the rush hour, all forms of vehicles were zooming past, making the task at hand seem rather difficult. One of the students would put a foot forward and then hurriedly withdraw it in the face of a speeding car or a racing bus. These students stood there for quite some time before they were finally able to zoom in and out between the fast-moving traffic to reach the other side of the road. Had someone nearby stopped to sympathise with the plight of these students, the sympathy would have turned to incredulity at the sight of a pedestrian bridge right above where the students stood.

And this is actually the real plight. Most of the students love to believe they are immortal. Why else would they race their bikes on a busy road, or put up a show of resistance whenever they are asked to hand over their cell phones? However, no one and absolutely no one can beat those who choose to cross a road in spite of the pedestrian bridge right over their heads.

All major roads of Karachi are filled with vehicular traffic at all times. The problem in crossing these roads is increased by the fact that there is no traffic signal nearby. If a traffic signal is present, then there is at least some hope that the flow of traffic will stop for some time, hence allowing some of the lucky ones to reach the other side of the road.

This is where pedestrian bridges come in. There are many pedestrian bridges in Karachi. All of them have been constructed at key locations i.e. roads that have a heavy traffic flow at all times. At places like Hyderi and Shahrah-i-Faisal to name a few, these bridges should ideally ensure that people cross the road safely without risking their lives. After all, that’s why they are there in the first place. However, when it comes to effectively using these bridges, the situation is exactly the opposite.

Most of the students view these bridges as a sheer waste of time. It is quite sad to observe that the pedestrian bridge in front of the Ayesha Bawany Academy at Shahrah-i-Faisal, for one, is vacated most of the times. In spite of the heavy traffic, these students think it is actually quite thrilling to zoom in between rows of cars to reach the other end.

So why do people stay away from the pedestrian bridges and choose to cross the roads? There are many explanations given on that front. Time obviously is the main issue. The fact that the time to climb the stairs of the pedestrian bridge and get off at the other end is exactly the same, if not less, than waiting for the road to clear a bit so that it can be crossed safely, is lost on most people. The common perception is that crossing the road instead of using the bridge takes less time, which of course may not be entirely true all the time.

“It’s our mindset. We love to take shortcuts,” says a disgusted Hina, a student of a reputed business institute. “The thought of doing things the right, fair and socially accepted way never enters our minds. No wonder we are in the mess we are.”

Fatima, an ‘O’ Level student, also attributes this to the mindset. “Students don’t make use of the pedestrian bridge because they’re too lazy to climb the steps. They think it’s a waste of time and energy. And then it’s all about how we think we can just cross the road as and when we wish and it’s the drivers’ responsibility to stop when they see us. It’s all about mindset, I tell you.”

This does actually apply to those who cross the road while a bridge is above them. Obviously those who cross the road in a hurry because the bridge is at a considerable distance or isn’t present at all in that area do have some excuse. No wonder certain people have actually written letters to newspapers requesting more bridges to be constructed on roads like Shahrah-i-Faisal for the convenience of those who do use these bridges.

Back to those who don’t, another reason why students think it is better to cross the road than use the bridge is because pedestrian bridges aren’t perceived as “safe” in the first place. Most of the times, the stairs are wobbly and seem to sag under one’s weight. The considerable empty space between one stair and the next also seems to be a bit too much.

“I have been a regular user of the pedestrian bridge at Shahrah-i-Faisal. But it is a frightening experience every day,” revealed Saira, a student whose school is around the bridge. “I am always afraid that the stairs or the bridge itself will give way under me. Even when I am on the bridge itself, the floor isn’t stable enough. No wonder there are only a few people really making use of that bridge.”

Another main issue doesn’t really have anything to do with the pedestrian bridges themselves, but is related to the demographics and characteristics of the individual. For instance, if someone has a phobia of heights, then it is unlikely that he/she will use the pedestrian bridge to cross the road. And there are many young people who do genuinely have that phobia.

Similarly, it is thought that the elderly people would also have a problem crossing the bridge as there are quite a number of stairs leading to them in the first place. But surprisingly, they are the more cautious lot, with the younger lot being more reckless and daring.

“My grandfather, who is of age, uses the metal pedestrian bridge to cross the road, but would definitely prefer to do it directly, because it gets very tiring for him. Following from a simple science explanation, metal has more gravity working on it than cement or stone, so while climbing the bridge only, he gets tired enough,” explained Javeria, a student of Karachi University.

Javeria, who herself is a regular user of pedestrian bridges at Nursery and Hyderi feels that bridges can sometimes be a source of embarrassment not to mention untimely injuries. “I have slipped twice while getting off these bridges. Believe me, slipping on the steps of a pedestrian bridge brings a lot of embarrassment together with a lot of bruises, sprained ankles, and broken backs,” she adds vehemently.

An interesting point to note is that when there is a railing dividing the two sides of the roads, almost everyone uses the pedestrian bridge. The bridge in front of the Federal Urdu University is a case in point. That bridge is almost always crowded and of course, this is not to undermine the fact that the students are socially aware that they must cross the road using the pedestrian bridge. However, one cannot help but notice the divider between the two roads which means that crossing it on foot is futile, as one wouldn’t be able to get on the other side anyway.

In spite of the problems, one cannot deny the importance of pedestrian bridges. There are periodic announcements by the city nazim that more bridges will be constructed, and one can easily see quite a few bridges under construction in different parts of the city. This is of course welcome news to a sizable majority that plays safe and doesn’t make an issue of crossing the pedestrian bridges.

People who do not seem to realise their importance do have a point, but at the end of the day, it is advisable to use something that has been constructed for your convenience only, even if you have to spend some extra time or effort doing so.