Inoperable footbridge escalators frustrate Dhaka pedestrians

Abdul Gani Mia, in his 60s, was crossing the footbridge at the bus stand of the Dhaka airport with a sack on his head on 11 June. He had to stop and rest four or five times as he climbed the stairs. Although there were two escalators on either side of the footbridge, they were not working.

"I don't think I've been able to use these escalators even twice since they were installed. They worked properly for the first year after they were installed in 2017, but they have remained closed most of the time since then. It's really hard to carry a load like this on my shoulder. If the escalators were open, it would be a bit easier," Gani told TBS.

He added, "I don't always use the footbridge. I cross the road on foot most of the time, taking risks. But now there is a lot of traffic on the road, so I don't take the risk. Look at how many people are crossing the road at the risk of their lives by stopping cars on the road instead of using the footbridge."

Ninth-grader Sayma Haque was crossing the footbridge near Banani Sainik Club at noon on the same day. There were escalators on both sides of the bridge as well. However, while the escalator on the west side (Banani side) was working, the one on the east side was closed and locked at the entrance.

Sayma said, "The escalators remain out of order most of the time. So you have to use the stairs on one side to get up and down. There are long lines to cross this bridge in the morning when I go to school."

It is not just Gani or Sayma who are suffering. The six escalators installed on three footbridges in Dhaka are not working and are instead causing trouble for city dwellers. The Dhaka North City Corporation is responsible for maintaining the escalators.

The first footbridge with escalators was built near Banani Sainik Club in 2014. The escalators were installed under the CASE (Clean Air and Sustainable Environment Project) project and then handed over to the North City Corporation.

In 2016, the then mayor Annisul Huq initiated the construction of the footbridge with escalators at the Airport Bus Stand. In 2021, a footbridge with escalators was installed over the road near Jamuna Future Park.

In 2019, after Bangladesh University of Professionals student Abrar Ahmed Chowdhury was killed by a bus at the location, Dhaka North Mayor Md Atiqul Islam announced the construction of the "Abrar Ahmed Footbridge".

However, after these escalators were put into operation, they provided trouble-free service only for a few days, according to locals.

Non-functional escalators on footbridges in the capital cause hardship for pedestrians, especially the elderly, who must climb stairs to cross the road. The photo was recently taken in Banani. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

Frequent repairing

Both escalators on the Airport footbridge have remained completely closed for more than two years. Some parts of it are broken and there are piles of garbage in various places. The escalators on the Banani and Jamuna Future Park footbridges are sometimes open, but they are often seen being repaired or closed.

Nayeem Rayhan Khan, Dhaka North City Corporation executive engineer (civil) of traffic engineering circle, told TBS, "The escalators at the Airport and Banani sometimes have problems due to their age and dust accumulation. The belts and some parts of the airport's two escalators are damaged and the process of bringing their replacement from abroad is underway. Hopefully, we will be able to repair and restart them soon."

Regarding the frequent closure of the escalators on the footbridges near Banani and Jamuna Future Park, he said, "We repair the escalators whenever there is a problem. As far as I know, the escalators on both footbridges are currently operational. If they are damaged, they will be repaired quickly. The two escalators in Banani remain closed from 1:00pm to 2:30pm and after 10:00pm."

Arshadul Islam is a regular user of the Jamuna Future Park footbridge. He told TBS, "The two escalators on this footbridge remain out of order and are closed most of the time. As a result, we have to face additional problems. When the escalators are closed, it is not possible for two people to go up and down the stairs at the same time. Again, many times the entrances of the escalators remain locked and there is a long queue on one side of the stairs to go up and down."

Tanvir Hossain, a civil traffic officer of United Group, responsible for traffic management at the bus stops of the airport, told TBS, "This road sees continuous human congestion throughout the day and night. If the escalators were operational, many people would use them, reducing pedestrian crossings through the middle of the road. Therefore, people carrying heavy bundles or bags prefer not to use the escalators and opt to cross directly risking accidents. This often results in minor accidents."

He further added, "I have been on duty here for over seven months, and during that period, I haven't seen these escalators operational even for a single day."

Bangladesh Institute of Planners President Adil Mohammed Khan told TBS, "We may say 'smart' outwardly, but our city corporation lacks the mentality to provide smart services. We are only accustomed to spending money; we have extensive shortcomings in our monitoring and maintenance. That's why our escalators, once intended for the convenience of city dwellers, have turned into a burden for us. Now, lakhs of taka are being spent annually on their maintenance, yielding no benefit whatsoever."

He also said, "Since the city corporations have found it impractical to monitor escalators on footbridges, a simpler arrangement is necessary for city dwellers. This could involve designing footbridges with slightly lower escalators and ensuring that they are easily accessible. Simultaneously, it is crucial to prioritise pedestrian safety at signals and ensure harmony between pedestrian crossings and traffic."