Two Gurugram Footbridges to Make Way for Metro

GURUGRAM: Two foot overbridges near schools in Sectors 9 and 10 are set to be dismantled because they stand in the alignment of the upcoming Gurugram Metro corridor, putting the focus on how pedestrians will cross the busy stretch while replacement structures are built.

The bridges are located near Alpine Public School in Sector 9 and Greenwood Public School in Sector 10, close to Basai Pond. They fall along the proposed Metro section between Umang Bhardwaj Chowk and Basai Flyover, where a station is also planned. The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority has permitted Gurugram Metro Rail Limited to remove the structures after the rail company said they were obstructing the corridor alignment.

The decision is unusual because the footbridges were completed in 2023, only three years ago. They formed part of a wider road-improvement package valued at about Rs 114 crore. That project included road widening between Umang Bhardwaj Chowk and Dwarka Expressway, along with a flyover and a railway overbridge across the Delhi-Rewari line.

In a communication issued on August 12, GMDA directed GMRL to pay for dismantling the existing bridges as well as constructing and commissioning two replacements at approved locations on the same corridor. GMRL will also be responsible for transporting and storing the dismantled material.

Pedestrian access is the immediate concern

The existing bridges serve residents and students around Sectors 9, 9A, 10, 37C and 37D. Their location near two schools makes the sequence of demolition and rebuilding especially important. If the old crossings are removed before safe alternatives are available, children and other pedestrians could be pushed towards surface-level crossings on a road that already carries substantial traffic.

Authorities have said replacement footbridges will be provided, but the available communication does not specify when they will become operational or what temporary crossing arrangement will be used. A clearly marked diversion, traffic marshals during school hours and protected pedestrian phases at nearby signals would be practical safeguards during the transition.

GMRL had written to GMDA in June seeking early removal of the two structures. The work is tied to the larger 30-kilometre Metro loop planned from Millennium City Centre to Cyber Hub. Its first phase is to extend towards Sector 9, with a separate spur towards Dwarka Expressway.

The episode also underlines a recurring planning challenge in rapidly expanding Gurugram: one public project should not have to be undone soon after completion to accommodate another. Coordinating road, pedestrian and mass-transit designs before construction begins can reduce repeated spending and disruption. For residents, however, the test is more immediate. The city must ensure that a future Metro station does not come at the cost of safe access on foot today.