On Monday, Ramanamma, a 60-year-old woman, found herself in a difficult situation. She was stranded in the middle of the stairs at the Parade Ground Metro Station with two heavy bags, struggling to catch her breath. Despite just finishing some work nearby, Ramanamma was unable to make it to the station due to her knee issues and was looking for some help from others.
When The Pioneer Correspondent came across Ramanamma’s situation and offered a helping hand, she shared that although this was the closest metro station, it still took her a grueling 20 minutes to climb up, get a ticket, and reach home. “I am just returning from a relative’s house, and I have to go to Nagole. I usually try to avoid this station, but the bus driver stopped here, and I have no choice. I cannot walk so far to JBS and walk back to the blue line also,” she said.
Ramanamma’s struggle is not unique. The lack of accessibility at the Parade Ground Metro Station has left many elders and people with disabilities facing inconvenience and difficulties in commuting. Many people, including patients from nearby hospitals, have expressed their concerns, finding it challenging to walk the distance to the JBS Metro Station to access the elevator. Moreover, the elderly are forced to walk long distances or take alternative routes to reach the station, which is not only time-consuming but also physically straining on their health. The situation is particularly dire during rush hours when the stairs are overcrowded, making it difficult for them to climb up or down at their own pace.
Rajrup, a retired army personnel, said, “I come here to spend some time in the Parade Grounds and take a walk. It is easier for me to walk but very difficult to climb stairs. Doctors have suggested against it. Even though the Parade Ground metro is the closest station, I get down at Paradise Metro Station and walk here because it has an elevator. But it involves walking almost a kilometer and crossing two heavy traffic roads.”
The Parade Ground Metro Rail Station is located in the heart of Hyderabad, in close proximity to Secunderabad railway station and Jubilee bus station, making it undeniably one of the major stations in the city. It is interconnected to JBS Metro station with a foot-over-bridge that is approximately 200 meters long.
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