Hellish Roads 6: Kanakapura Road

KANAKAPURA ROAD
Traffic at crossroads
Times of India

Kanakapura Road virtually doesn’t exist! You find only potholes and craters. Add nonstop-traffic and accidents, the frightening picture is complete.

With traffic to Mysore being diverted here and several commercial and apartment complexes coming up on the road, there is a huge volume of traffic. Too many crossroads add to traffic jams.

The many commercial establishments located along the 3-km stretch from the Ring Road junction draw a large number of people every day. Family Mart, Metro, Cauvery Ford, Khoday’s several colleges and kalyan mantaps are located in the area.

Also, with many residential layouts coming up, it is the only access road towards the city. Traffic gets clogged on the main road during peak hours (8 am to 11 am and 4.30 pm to 8 pm) leading to frequent jams even on the by-lanes.

1 Main problem areas

•Huge volume of traffic at Ring Road-Kanakapura Road junction.
• Traffic has increased with vehicles from Mysore Road being diverted onto Kanakapura Road.
• The road is in a pathetic state with several potholes.
• Some major portions of road widened (shoulder) are not asphalted. Tree trunks have not been removed after road widening.
• Haphazard parking. Tempo and autorickshaw stand located near a busy junction.
• Too many crossroads — junctions on a short stretch. Left turn towards Brigade Millennium and Konanakunte Cross are major problem areas.
• Inadequate road signages, signals, medians and street lighting.
• No developmental work taken up on road. The stretch till Konanakunte Cross falls under Bangalore City Corporation limits, while the rest comes under CMC.

2 Major junctions

• Kanakapura Road-Ring Road junction, Brigade Millennium-Kanakapura Road junction, crossings in front of shopping malls, Jyoti Kendriya Vidyalaya junction, Khoday’s junction, Konanakunte Cross.

3 What police say...

There has been a sudden increase in flow of traffic due to many apartment complexes coming up and traffic being diverted from Mysore Road. Though the stretch has been widened and electric poles removed, there are tree trunks that have been left unremoved. The situation will improve if the shoulders are asphalted and some of the trees removed. However, we are able to manage the present situation with the help of some private parties. While there are adequate personnel deployed to man traffic, more signals will be put up for better regulation. — DCP Traffic (West) M.T. Naik.

EXPERT OPINION

Prof M.N. Sreehari

• Road widening and adequate signals medians should be put up.
• Asphalting of the widened portion of road should be taken up soon.
• Tree trunks left on the widened portion further clogs traffic.
• Some crossroads can be blocked. Speed breakers should be put up at crossroads.
• Parking should be removed from the stretch.