A 380-meter-long “Skywalk” designed by DFI Architects for a temple in Kolkata, southeast India, draws huge numbers of devotees throughout the year.
The Dakshineswar Kali temple, one of the most revered of Hindu sacred sites, is located on the banks of Ganges at the northern tip of the metropolis, and the most popular way to get there used to be by boat. Now, however, more and more visitors are trying to use a crowded road, and are often forced to walk in the path of vehicles because of the shops and kiosks placed over the footpath.
To give tourists a safer means of approaching the site, a 10.5-meter-wide skywalk is to be built, which visitors will be able to access from 12 escalators, eight staircases or four elevators.
The skywalk will also contain space for 200 shops that are currently outside the place of worship.
The project is divided into eight meter-long units with space for four shops. Between every six modules a 85-meter-long partition will offer cafes, water fountains and information desks.
(Source: China International Contractors Association)