Bottlenecks still dog new one-ways

Bottlenecks still dog new one-ways
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Though Monday’s peak hour did not trouble the traffic police, a few flaws in the new Richmond-Residency road one-way system need to be ironed out.

The hazardous crossing atop the flyover remains, defeating the very purpose of having a flyover: For smooth traffic flow.

The traffic police too seem intent on detaining erring drivers on the narrow ramps leading to jams. One also wonders why dividing posts have been erected on the up-ramp at KH Road confusing motorists who expect vehicles to come charging down at them.

Another area of concern is the row of metal dividers on Residency Road stretch after Cash Pharmacy junction which have not been removed. Proceeding towards Ashirvadam Circle, one is suddenly accosted by this barrier, hardly visible especially at night.

It creates the misconception that one can turn right onto Museum Road. Also, this traffic junction does not yield either a free right for those coming onto Residency Road from Catholic Club or a free left for those coming in via St Joseph’s European School.

Strangely, the new system has not really reduced the number of traffic signals and junctions on either roads. On Residency Road, signals remain at Cash Pharmacy junction, Ashirvadam Circle and Brigade Road junction, besides police manning the Mayo Hall junction.

On Richmond Road, vehicles need to stop at D’Souza Circle and Vellara Junction as before. Apart from these, entry to Hayes Road and Castle Street are also being manned. So, while the road space has widened, vehicles still idle at all these junctions.

At Mayo Hall junction, motorists have to wait for a signal from the traffic police manning it in order to proceed to Commissariat Road. These vehicles partially block the way for those wishing to proceed towards Trinity Circle.

Traffic DCP (East) M.A. Saleem told this website’s newspaper changes would be made as and when required. However, a point to note is that at night (from 9 pm and 6 am), the ramp connecting Richmond Road to Mission Road will be closed.

This is because the flyover now needs to be manned, which is not possible after dark. ‘‘The new system has been designed for optimum utilisation of the flyover. The ramp was being underutilised from the Mission Road side. Having a junction atop is not a problem and there is no rule that says it cannot be done,’’ Salim said.

At night, vehicles can take the road below the flyover to go to Mission Road as they did earlier.