One-ways spell success, salvage police pride

One-ways spell success salvage police pride

According to police statistics, one-ways have drastically reduced fatal accidents on the City’s roads.

Deccan Herald

You have always muttered that Bangalore is not the Garden city but the city of one-ways. But be consoled. One-ways have reduced fatal accidents by a whopping 50 per cent and the number of accidents per se have also decreased, say the police.

The latest statistics on accidents compiled till December 15, 2004, prove this, bringing relief and salvaging some pride for the city police top-brass.

There are more than 21 lakh vehicles, including 15.5 lakh two-wheelers, in Bangalore. To decongest and to bring order on the roads, Bangalore city police introduced a slew of one-ways, especially in central parts of the city from August 2003. From August 2003 till today, as many as 74 roads have been made one-ways. However, several people questioned the wisdom of the police in introducing the one-ways. The cops though stood firm on their decision.

Of the 74 roads, police chose 25 important roads (heavily traffic-ridden) and analysed the accidents on these roads, before and after the implementation of the one-way. The statistics of death and injured during 2004 was compared with 2003.

As many as 33 persons had been killed and 218 injured on the roads during 2003, while the number of deaths during 2004 (post-one-way period) was 16 and the injured was 145.

K G Road is the only road where the fatality during 2004 is more than 2003. However, two deaths (out of three during 2004) had occurred on the road before it was converted into a one-way from May 1, 2004.

The visibly happy Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic - East Zone) M A Saleem spikes criticism : “Statistics clearly dispel apprehensions of some people who oppose one-ways. The chaotic traffic in the city has become a big problem to all of us and its management has posed a challenge. Several tough measures need to be taken to address the problem. We made one-ways as it is the only immediate solution available to us.”

He lists the advantages of one-ways : besides the decline in the number of mishaps, one-ways ease traffic movement, reduce travel time, increase fuel efficiency and brings down pollution. It seems there’s no way out but to agree, atleast for now.

Table showing major roads converted into one-ways and accidents in 2003 and 2004

Road name 2003 2004
OM Road 5 3
Kensington Road 9 4
Murphy Road 2 0
T Chowdaiah Road 1 0
Raj Bhavan Road 2 2
KG Road 2 3
Seshadri Road 5 1
Queen’s Road 4 2
Miller’s Road 1 1
Victoria Road 1 0
Richmond Road 1 0
Total number dead 33 16
Total injured 218 145

(Total numbers dead and injured includes 25 roads that are now one-ways)