Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Government Plans Sports Facilities And Public Amenities Development Under Munshipulia Flyover

To manage a population of over 1.4 billion, a country’s primary objective remains connectivity. India has the highest road network in the world, consisting of 6,617,100 km ( 4,111,675 mi). Projects like Bharatmala, with an estimated investment of ₹10.6 trillion, have significantly aided in the development of not only national highways but also railway bridges, tunnels, and flyovers. But how many think of the latent potential of these mega structures? Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government has come up with a plan to develop sports facilities and public amenities under the flyovers within the state.

The Proposal

Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is actively planning to develop sports facilities under flyovers to utilize underused urban spaces effectively.​ The initial phase targets the area under flyovers along the Munshipulia-Polytechnic corridor, specifically between Munshipulia crossing and Kaleva crossing.​ Facilities will include spaces for badminton, basketball, and pickleball, aimed at children and youth in nearby localities.​ The project also incorporates plantation, seating areas, organized parking, public toilets, drinking water facilities, an office, and a storeroom under various flyovers.

“We can develop them as parking spaces for vehicles. They can also be turned into play zones with badminton courts in some areas. A few greenery patches can be developed there,” Lucknow district magistrate Vishakh G said.

The state government and chief minister have approved the proposal, with financial and technical processes completed; construction starts post-PWD no-objection certificate, supervised by NHAI for safety. But in major crowded cities like Lucknow, which happens to be the capital of the state as well, the administration has many challenges to consider before implementing a scheme like this.

Challenges before the execution

Space under bridges and flyovers has been encroached upon, and in some cases, settlements have come up. Vegetable/fruit markets have come up under prominent flyovers like the Nishantganj flyover, Gomti Nagar flyover, and the Lal Kuan crossing. Around 60-70 families have lived under the Amar Shaheed Path flyover for generations now. These people have even demarcated their areas. The first stretch of 200 metres has people from Gosaiganj. The next stretch has people migrating from Sitapur, then Bahraich, and so on. Not to mention the safety concerns under these mega structures.

The risk of accidents related to falling debris, vehicle collision, or breakdown raises many eyebrows for these initiatives. Though the Munshipulia flyover was recently inaugurated in early 2025, the older flyovers are not designed for public use below, exposing structural limitations for extension of these projects. Also, according to reports, the partial collapse of the recently unveiled flyover on the busy Lucknow-Ayodhya-Basti-Gorakhpur national highway would make people hesitant to use these facilities under the flyovers.

Bridging the gap

Effective execution of sports facilities and public amenities under flyovers can be successfully implemented by taking inspiration from standardized safety designs, as demonstrated by successful pilot programs like the recreational facilities under Indore’s Pipliyana flyover, Surat’s Shaheed Veer Bhagat Singh Bridge, and Navi Mumbai’s Sampada flyover.

Also, public-private partnerships (PPP) and community involvement can be encouraged. Adopt hybrid models like Surat's PPCP (Public-Private-Community Partnership), where private firms handle construction and operations for 10-15 years in exchange for nominal user fees (₹10-50/entry), recovering 70-80% of costs via maintenance contracts while municipal corporations retain oversight.