Divide and rule: Experts disagree

Divide and rule: Experts disagree

Traffic officials say that they are studying the pattern on Richmond Circle and will make alternative arrangements if needed.

Deccan Herald

For once, it is the authorities who have decided to jump the signal. Notwithstanding the red sign shown by road experts to the introduction of two-way traffic on the narrow Double Road ramp of the Richmond Circle flyover, the City traffic police seem keen to allow traffic both ways on this proposed stretch.

If the ramp is divided to facilitate the two-way traffic from Residency Road to Double Road, then a sudden spurt in the rate of accidents on this ramp cannot be ruled out.

The traffic police have for the last one month been studying the possibility of converting Richmond Circle flyover into a two-way but not in opposite direction. On an experimental basis on Monday, the traffic coming in from Double Road onto the flyover was separated by a divider. Traffic was allowed only one side of the ramp. This was done to assess how much volume of traffic one side of the ramp could take.

“Through a survey, we are trying to explore the possibility of converting Richmond Circle flyover, into a two-way. We may be able to make it a two-way. The idea is to decongest the stretch. If this doesn’t work, then,we’ll work on an alternative plan,” said DCP Traffic (East) M A Saleem.

It may be mentioned here that the proposed one-ways on Richmond Road, Residency Road and other roads, which were to be implemented from Wednesday, has been put off for December 11.

On an average, the flow of traffic on Richmond Circle flyover, is 2,200-3000 passenger car units (PCU) per hour. During peak hours the volume of traffic exceeds 5,000 PCUs (PCU is calculated by taking the impact of one vehicle to a standard car, for instance a bus is three times that of a car).

SUGGESTIONS: Mr M N Reddy, IGP, Power and Emergency Services is in favour of converting the entire stretch Richmond Circle flyover, into a two-way, but has vetoed the proposal to divide the ramp into two. “We could decongest if the entire flyover is converted into a two-way. The idea of cutting the already narrow ramp further into two is not feasible but cutting the entire flyover into two halves is a good scheme,” said Mr Reddy.

Traffic expert Prof M N Sreehari says a minimum of a seven-metre width is necessary on either side of the divider if the ramp is to be cut, now the whole ramp is only 7.5 metre or 24 ft wide.

“This is a narrow stretch. There are chances that accidents may increase on this stretch especially during the night either because the lighting is inadequate or due to overspeeding,” said Prof Sreehari.

Talking about the basic design of the Richmond Circle flyover, traffic planner and former member of the BATF Mr B H Sanjeev Kumar said the flyover was built at a time when the one-way rule hadn’t come into effect, in that scenario, the flyover was a possible option. He says the flyover could be made a two-way but dividing Double Road ramp of the Richmond Circle was the only critical point in the whole experiment. “Only smaller vehicles will be allowed on the flyover, the larger vehicles like buses will have to go below the flyover,” said Sanjeev. But, traffic experts feel that though buses may not be allowed onto the flyover, smaller vehicles itself may lead to congestion.