On City’s roads, death shadows pedestrians

On City’s roads, death shadows pedestrians

As many as 360 lives have been lost in the past 11 months, the most deadly roads being ring roads and the highways.

Deccan Herald

Bangalore roads are highly risky for pedestrians. Their deaths is increasing with each passing year, reflecting the utter neglect of pedestrian safety.

The number of pedestrians who get killed or injured on roads by reckless drivers outnumber two-wheeler riders who do. The number of deaths in the first 11 months in this year has already reached an all-time high. As many as 360 lives have been lost on the roads besides injuries to 2,055. The most deadly roads are the Ring Roads and National and State Highways.

Cause

Tremendous increase in both population and vehicles coupled with lack of proper infrastructure and indiscipline among pedestrians has been the cause of most pedestrian deaths.

Of the total 21 lakh vehicles, two-wheelers account for more than 15.5 lakh. Annually, police book around one lakh cases and collect about Rs 13 crore in the form of penalty from errant drivers.

Measures

Measures such as - cleaning up of encroached footpaths, installation of road humps and sign boards, STOP lines should be at least one meter away from pedestrian crossing, ban on jaywalking, foot-over bridge or subways, proper lighting on the road - to ensure pedestrian safety is yet to become a reality in the Sillicon Valley.

City police prohibited jaywalking on the busy M G Road and it was to be extended to other roads. But it is crying for better enforcement.

Only recently, the Bangalore City Traffic police woke up from their slumber and are experimenting with pedestrian safety measures (though they are a common feature across the globe).

They recently started two initiatives - Construction of Elevated Pedestrian Crossings and Pedestrian Controlled Signal Lights - on an experimental basis.

The elevated pedestrian crossings have been constructed in front of Mallya Hospital and eight on Residency and Richmond Roads. They have plans to construct another dozen elevated pedestrian crossings in the central parts of the city - on Kempe Gowda, Cunningham, Nrupatunga Roads and Basaveshwara Circle.

Pedestrian Controlled Signal Lights were inaugurated at the Queen’s Road Traffic Junction and Palm Grove Road Junction near Victoria Road in Bangalore on November 27 (second city in India after New Delhi).

The Pelical Signal Light, as it is called, ensures safety to the pedestrians as people can stop vehicles while crossing the road. Traffic police have plans of gradually introducing the facility at eight other junctions.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic - East Zone) M A Saleem agrees about lack of proper pedestrian safety measures, but he also lists the measures taken up by the police to save lives : “Se have taken up the construction of elevated pedestrian crossings and installation of Pelical Signal Lights. We have asked Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to construct foot-over-bridges and sub-ways in 43 heavy traffic locations spread across the city and they are taking up the work of construction of foot-over-bridges at seven places shortly. Also, we have requested the Public Works Department (PWD) to install raised central medians on the highway roads to prevent people from crossing the road at will. The PWD has already put up the medians on Hosur road and Tumkur road”.