Incomplete foot overbridge on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway leads to multiple deaths

At least four pedestrians have died and several others have been injured over the past 18 months on a stretch of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway near a private university in Kaniminike, west Bengaluru. The lack of pedestrian infrastructure, combined with a delayed foot overbridge project, has forced students and residents to cross the busy highway at great personal risk.

The stretch, located about 600 metres from the Kaniminike Toll Plaza, is used daily by over a thousand students from the private university. Fencing on both sides of the highway has been cut open to allow pedestrians to cross, according to local reports. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) began constructing a foot overbridge at the site approximately 18 months ago, but the project remains incomplete due to land acquisition issues.

Data from the Bengaluru Traffic Police indicates that at least four fatal accidents occurred on this stretch between January 2025 and May 2026. During the same period, over six non-fatal accidents were reported, though the actual number could be higher as many incidents go unreported. Local residents and students described crossing the highway as a daily gamble.

Prashanth, a student at the university, said: “It’s always a gamble when crossing the highway, and so many people feel anxious while crossing.” Manjula, who runs a tea stall nearby, said she has witnessed three deaths in the past year, recalling one incident where a pedestrian was hit by a car and thrown 60 to 70 metres. Mokshith Chaturvedula, a 19-year-old second-year BBA student, said one of his seniors died last year, and another student was injured two months later. He emphasised that a skywalk is urgently needed given the frequency of such incidents.

The neighbourhood is busy with students and daily-wage labourers. Within a 200-metre radius, there are nearly a hundred paying guest accommodations on both sides of the road, making it necessary for residents to cross the highway frequently. Although the Kaniminike Toll Plaza is just 500 metres away and provides a safe crossing, pedestrians rarely use it because it would require walking an additional kilometre.

An NHAI official overseeing the project stated that construction was halted due to land acquisition issues, which have now been resolved. “We will complete the work within two months,” the official said. The completion of the foot overbridge is expected to reduce risks for pedestrians in the area.