Nagpur: Nearly a week after the second entry/exit at Cotton Market Metro station opened to the public, around one in five commuters is using the new foot overbridge (FOB), according to MahaMetro officials.The Rs 10 crore facility records an average daily footfall of 250-300 passengers, while the station handles around 1,500-1,700 commuters a day.Officials expect the numbers to rise as more people become familiar with the new access point, which connects the station to the Lohapul side through a 120-metre skywalk over the busy Cotton Market Square. Sources, however, said the current daily footfall is closer to 200, adding that usage has been steadily increasing and is likely to grow further in the coming months.The second entry was built to improve accessibility and reduce pedestrian congestion at one of the busiest stations on the Aqua Line. Equipped with two lifts and a staircase, the skywalk offers a safer crossing over the traffic-heavy junction for commuters travelling towards Lohapul, Ganesh Tekdi and nearby commercial establishments.Despite the improved connectivity, many commuters continue to prefer the original entrance because it involves a shorter walk.“I use the new FOB whenever I’m heading towards Lohapul because it saves me from crossing the traffic,” said regular metro commuter Aditya Deshmukh. “But if you’re coming from the other side, you end up walking much more. It’s similar to Sitabuldi Metro, where choosing the wrong exit leaves you on the other side of the road with a long walk ahead. The view from the skywalk is beautiful, especially in the evening, but you do have to walk a little more.”Urban planners say such infrastructure delivers its full potential only when cities adopt a stronger walking culture. While commuters in cities such as Mumbai routinely walk a kilometre or more to access public transport, Nagpur continues to depend heavily on private vehicles even for short trips.Officials believe improved first- and last-mile connectivity and greater acceptance of walking will boost the use of facilities such as the Cotton Market skywalk.Located between Sitabuldi Interchange and Railway Station, Cotton Market Metro station serves traders, shoppers and office-goers visiting the city’s wholesale vegetable and orange markets. With the second entry now operational, MahaMetro expects passenger movement to become more evenly distributed as awareness of the facility grows.
