Jammed Junctions: Cash Pharmacy

Jammed Junction
A 100-metre dash in half-an-hour
Deccan Herald

On less than 100 metres of the stretch of Residency Road, from the age-old Cash Pharmacy to the Richmond Road flyover, are five traffic policemen posted. That explains the severity of traffic congestion on the road.

The peak hours are the worst. The additional posting of senior traffic officials to supervise the five other men, only seems to be a futile exercise.
For, they are not only confronted with the task of managing traffic, but also a very large number of pedestrians.

There are five schools and one college in the vicinity and there is no much time gap between the opening and closing timings of all.

Imagine what happens when 5,500 boys and 3,000 girls travel to and fro Bishop Cotton Boys and Girls Schools everyday (Not to speak of the number of students travelling daily to Sacred Hearts Girls School, Baldwin Girls School, Stracy Memorial School and St Joseph’s College, along the route). To make matters worse, there are two bus-stops at close distance and the bus drivers face allegations of halting in a rash manner, right in the middle of the road.

The vehicles speeding down from Richmond Circle flyover, just a few metres away, pile-up, leading to a jam. “It takes me half-an-hour to drive on this small stretch”, says Girish Nashi, a chartered accountant who drops and picks up his two sons at Bishop Cotton Boys School. The business community, the large number of visitors to Bangalore Club, the pedestrians and motorists, all mince no words in expressing their frustration over the state of affairs.

Says Bangalore Club Deputy Secretary Wing Commander S K Lodh. “The flyover is very near our gate. There is very little space between our gate and the road divider, making the left turn very difficult. Also the large parking slot on the left is a major obstacle”, he says.

According to Mr Lodhi, even Sundays are not spared as the car resale business on the road hampers traffic movement.

Mr Hemanth Manay of S R Gopal Rao Opticians which opened on the road in November has another point to make. “More than the traffic it is the noise and sound pollution which create nuisance. The disturbance is enough to cause us strain to the extent of reducing our working hours”, he complains. The school managements, despite having large spaces in their compounds have their own reasons for disallowing vehicles into their campuses. “Safety of our children comes first. Entry of vehicles into our campus will not only restrict the movement of our students, but will also increase the risk of accidents”, says Mr Paul Raj, incharge, Stores and Transport department, Bishop Cotton Boys School. “Moreover we have been running 12 vans, each with a seating capacity of 32, for transporting children. We have created space to park the vans under the auditorium in our campus”, he adds.


POSSIBLE CURE
The schools can provide parking space within their campuses.
The schools can alter their timing
Remove parking slot of private vehicles and autorickshaws
Shift bus-stops/Ban plying of BMTC buses on the road.
Flyover can be extended till Cash Pharmacy


USERS SPEAK
Wing Commander S K Lodh: The traffic management is very bad. So many complications on this route can be avoided by removing the two bus stops, shifting the parking slot and even laying humps to slow down vehicles that speed down from the flyover.

Girish Nashi a chartered Accountant and a parent of students of Bishop Cotton: The only solution according to me is to extend the flyover till the Cash Pharmacy, as orginally planned. While traffic is undoubtedly a menace, finding space to park is a bigger menace.

Hemanth Manay, Consultant Optometrist, S R Gopal Rao Opticians: The Richmond Circle flyover itself is ill-planned. It should have been a two-way. A major part of the problem can be solved by altering the timings of all the schools in the vicinity.
R G Giriyappa, Traffic Constable: More than managing the traffic, challenge here is to manage pedestrians. The afternoon time is the most difficult. Apart from carefully guiding the school children in crossing the road, we have to put up with the parents’ anger.

Siddalinga Raju, private Santro driver: Afternoon from 2 pm to 6 pm is the worst timing. It is no less than a punishment to take this road during this time. Unfortunately, I don’t have an alternative. Parking of vehicles should be allowed on the other side of the road.