TEST recommends mass transport for city

TEST recommends mass transport for city
The Hindu

BANGALORE, JAN. 9. The Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) equipped with driver testing units and simulators; BMTC buses fitted with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to reduce accidents; autorickshaws with side doors; an exclusive mass public transport zone within a 10-km radius around Vidhana Soudha.

These are a must for Bangalore city if it is to tide over the spiralling number of accidents, traffic congestion and delays, says the city-based Traffic Engineers and Safety Trainers (TEST) in its list of 32 recommendations to be submitted shortly to the Department of Transport and the traffic police.

Among the key recommendations are introduction of mass public transport within the radius of 10 km around Vidhana Soudha, curbing individual transport system in such areas by imposing heavy tolls and cordoning the area as in Singapore and widening of old narrow roads in the heart of the city such as Nrupatunga Road, Seshadri Road, Raja Rammohun Roy Road, Museum Road, Kempe Gowda Road, and District Office Road.

TEST wanted more peripherals and ring roads, the existing rail corridors connected with electric multiple units (EMUs), adequate and proper signs and signboards besides mini flyovers or overpasses where two major or arterial facilities crossed each other.

It suggested that BMTC buses should operate mini-buses instead of long-bodied vehicles at crowded and congested roads to ease congestion.

Installing Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) such as reverse safe inside buses to prevent accidents while reversing; accident data collection, retrieving and analysing the same for predicting and monitoring accidents using data base management system were other important recommendations.

Helmets

TEST reiterated the need for a mandatory helmet rule for two-wheeler riders and pillion rider. "More than 38 per cent killed are two-wheeler riders because of their exposure to risk. Out of this more than 70 per cent of head injuries cause death in the absence of helmet. This rule must be strictly brought into force in the similar lines of using seat belts in four-wheelers," said TEST chairman, M.N. Sreehari.

It urged the RTOs to procure driver-testing units with simulators to check reaction time, eyesight, hearing level of the applicant, psychological and physiological tests.

"In addition to instead of giving 20 years license it is desirable to renew once in five years up to 55 years and after 55years once in a year. After 65 years it is better not to drive the vehicles."

Autorickshaws

Side doors for autorickshaws, preventing them from carrying more school children, training BMTC and KSRTC bus drivers on stress management, time management, human behavioural approach, good driving habits, vehicle maintenance, passenger handling management, health and environment and accident preventive skills are the other recommendations.

TEST called for banning slow-moving vehicles on congested arterial roads and removal of existing road humps to be replaced with rubber humps only at needy places.