LUCKNOW, May 17 -- After nearly a year of delays, the proposed foot overbridge on Shaheed Path, set to come up in front of a mall near a private hospital, is finally moving towards execution, with the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) finalising a private agency and issuing a work order for the project. For months, pedestrians have struggled to cross the busy stretch due to the absence of any designated crossing facility. With no zebra crossing or foot overbridge available, many either took longer routes or attempted to cross the road directly, risking accidents on the high-speed corridor. LDA chief engineer Manvendra Kumar Singh said the project faced delays as the authority initially failed to attract interested bidders. To move the proposal forward, the authority later decided to execute the project through the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Singh said the authority floated a request for proposal, following which a private agency was selected and a work order issued. "The selected agency will generate revenue through advertisements and commercial spaces associated with the project," Singh said. Officials said construction activity is likely to begin in the coming months. "Confusion over the proposed site of the foot overbridge also contributed to the delay." According to them, a mall located near the private hospital suggested a different location, while the LDA preferred another site for the project. The disagreement delayed decision-making and kept the proposal pending for almost a year. Earlier in July 2025, LDA officials had said the design was finalised and the Detailed Project Report was being prepared, with work expected to begin after approvals. However, unresolved location concerns and the absence of bidders delayed the project. A senior LDA official said most procedural hurdles have now been addressed, and the project is expected to move ahead in front of the mall, improving pedestrian safety on the busy Shaheed Path stretch....