Hellish Roads 4: Kimco Junction

HELLISH ROADS - 4
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MYSORE ROAD-KIMCO JUNCTION NEAR BHEL
Times of India

Mysore Road — The most used road, but best avoid it. Traffic crawls. A car takes half an hour during peak hours to reach the Sirsi Circle flyover which is located less than 3 km away from the Kimco junction.
Same is with those who hit the Sirsi Circle flyover near K.R. Market. Once you are out of the flyover, the tortoise race starts to reach the Kimco junction.

A large number of the city’s residents heading to various industries, the Bangalore University, resorts in the outskirts, the Big Banyan Tree and Mysore use this road. This is apart from a large segment of population which stays in Vijayanagar, Chandra Layout, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Kengeri and surrounding areas.

1 What is making the journey time-consuming?
Too many junctions, too many intersections, narrow road, shrinking pavements forcing pedestrians to walk on the road, bus stops, huge trees blocking the road, only a few traffic policemen.

2 What do the police say? People coming to the city from Mysore or going to Mysore from different parts of the city should avoid this road and bank on the Outer Ring Road, says DCP Traffic (West) M.T. Naik.

•We need two small flyovers near Kimco Junction and Pantharapalya junction (near the intersection with the Outer Ring Road leading towards Banashankari). These two flyovers are there in the BDA plan.
•Road needs to be widened by cutting the trees which are blocking the road.
•Widen the bridge on the drain which cuts the Mysore Road.

3 What road users and residents have to say .
No doubt we need the above infrastructure, but the traffic police are responsible for the present mess. They are visible only when a VVIP is on this road visiting the Gali Anjaneya Swami Temple or heading to Bangalore University or Mysore Road. Enough policemen on the road can help the traffic move quickly. They should restrain pedestrians who cross the road at their will. There should be enough pedestrian markings. Autorickshaw drivers are the biggest culprits. They crisscross forcing other vehicles, mainly buses, to do the same. BMTC and KSRTC buses should not violate lane system. A KSRTC bus stand is coming on this road. It may worsen the situation. Civic authorities and traffic police should not allow encroachment of pavements and should regulate proper flow of traffic.

4 Where do the police and public differ?
•Public: The flyover which starts from SJP Road and ends at Sirsi Circle should have started from Hudson Circle and ended at Bangalore University junction. This would have eased traffic.
•Police: It is a costly proposition. Two flyovers near Kimco junction with a ramp leading towards Vijayanagar and near Banashankari intersection, road widening between Kimco junction and flyover will solve the problem.

5 Is there some hope? Come June 2005, a four-lane express highway between Mysore and Bangalore will be ready. Vehicles coming from Mysore on this dream highway (120 km) are expected to reach Kimco junction in two hours.