Traffic police plan to decongest central business district

Traffic police plan to decongest central business district

The Hindu

Curbs likely to be enforced on private vehicles not bound for commercial establishments

# `Core road' around Central business district planned
# Lanes to be marked with thermo paint
# BMP to widen stretches of Hosur Road and Bellary Road within city limits
# Report on `intelligent traffic systems' being prepared
# Government urged to revert to paid parking

BANGALORE: The Traffic Police have suggested to the Task Force on Bangalore Traffic Management that restrictions be placed on the movement of private vehicles into the Central Business District (CBD) around Mahatma Gandhi Road.

According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K.V.R. Tagore, this was a broad suggestion and specialists have to study its feasibility. "The idea is to limit the entry of vehicles which are in transit and not bound for commercial establishments on M.G. Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road or St Mark's Road, but going elsewhere, to reduce congestion on these already overcrowded roads," he said.

Limit

The traffic police want to draw a limit called "core road" around the CBD, to be widened into six or eight lanes, starting from Trinity Circle and passing close to Ulsoor Lake, Fraser Town, Railway underbridge (near Cantonment Station) and Jayamahal Main Road, Mekhri Circle, C.V. Raman Road, Dr. Rajkumar Road and joining Krishnarajendra Road. It will also link Bangalore Dairy Circle and Richmond Road and back to Trinity Circle as a circular route.

"A car going towards Yeshwantpur or Banaswadi can avoid the CBD and use the Core Road and take a turn towards their destination; this is almost the same as what metro rail authorities proposed last week with some minor changes," Mr. Tagore said.

Lane discipline

The traffic police also plan to curb "land jumping" by drivers suddenly swerving near traffic signals and intersections.

The left and right lanes will be marked with "thermo paints" which last up to four years indicating that vehicles which need to take a turn at the next intersection take these lanes. This will be done by September first week as soon as the rains stop.

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has taken up the responsibility of widening stretches of Hosur Road and Bellary Road within the city limits under the Transferable Development Rights scheme whereby owners surrender a strip of land for road widening, Mr. Tagore said.

Felling of trees

The Traffic Task Force also discussed the trimming or cutting of trees on roads. The BMP which took up the job of trimming and felling 786 trees on roadsides, stopped the work after stiff opposition from residents and environmental groups. The Forest Department has now offered to appoint a "tree officer" who will take a decision of which trees actually need trimming or felling.

A private agency has been asked to prepare a report on the feasibility of having "intelligent traffic systems" which involve traffic signals which respond to the volume of traffic and automatically switch on a red or green light. With the help of electronic chips, signals along the same road can also be synchronised. The agency is to submit a report within three months after studying the traffic control needs of specific areas.

The traffic police have sent a proposal to the government to revert to paid parking in most places in the city except Commercial Street and Brigade Road where parking metres are being used.