Colossium Magazine December issue | Page 28

for me they are more than footbridg- es, they’re architectural wonders. My grandmother may take forever to climb these if not at all. Why this high? As high as they are, they are not even accessible. To access the nearest footbridge one must walk not less than 100m – that’s a distance. Clearly everything seems wrong with our planning. What is the point in constructing a bridge which isn’t within my reach? I will rather cross the road to save time. That is a dan- gerous option but that is my best bet if I want to save time – I cross – I die. With vehicles traveling an average speed of about 60km/h; I have less than 30 seconds to cross – my time and chances are limited but it is all I have – the bridge in my vicinity is not accessible (too far or uncomplet- ed) so I have to cross. The other day, a friend tried to cross and he end- ed up crossing over to the next life. This is the reality we face in our so- ciety each passing day – these are the risks we have to take every sin- gle day. Yet people we have put in charge over us – the people we pay with our taxes – sit and watch – till a 100 of us lose our lives – till we can’t take it anymore and hit the streets to demonstrate they somehow pre- sume we will be fine. When things escalate then they come and mark our roads and call it a Zebra crossing. We don’t need Zebra crossings on our highways; we need completed and accessible footbridges. We deserve to live in safe environments. A 100 foots must not fall before we have a sense of responsibility in our soci- ety. All footbridges must be complet- ed and made accessible to those for whom they have been constructed. 28 | Colossium . December 2018 #FIXOURFOOTBRIDGESNOW