Cops propose new fix to traffic mess

Cops propose new fix to traffic mess
New INdian Express

BANGALORE: For the first time, a 17-km stretch of major roads will be synchronised through widening of existing roads and laying of mini-flyovers, if the City police proposal to the Bangalore City Corporation gets through.

The Police has come up with the proposal, going by the fact that the major roads had reached their super-saturation over the years. The proposal, which is under BCC’s consideration, does not call for much investment, as there is no need for new roads.

“It only requires widening of existing roads and a few mini-flyovers at crucial points,” said officers involved in designing the project.

“The 17 km two-way Core Inner Ring Road will ensure free flow of traffic with no breaks,” DCP (East) M A Saleem told this website’s newspaper.

Going by the police recommendation, the road will connect Trinity Circle, St John’s Road, Jayamahal Road, Mekhri Circle, Sadhashiva Nagar main Road, Yeshwantpura, West of Chord Road, Rajajinagar, Chamarajpet, Makkala Koota, Lalbagh, Dairy Circle, Vellara Junction, Anepalya, Richmond Road and Trinity Circle.

The BCC is now designing a detailed map.

Traffic experts also suggest that the police take steps to synchronise the traffic signals to prevent stoppage of vehicles at every signal on every route.

In the last 18 months, the cops have introduced 81 new one-ways and prohibited parking on arterial roads. However, police were forced retract from introducing a parking ban on 14 other roads, where alternative parking was not provided.

Poor traffic planning has earned Bangalore the notoriety of being the only city in the country where traffic is regulated on flyover (Richmond Circle flyover).

“What is the purpose of a flyover if traffic stops on it?

“Traffic planning is very bad and confused,” said Traffic Engineering Expert George Kuruvilla. He faulted the making of several roads one-ways, without vision.

“Good one-ways improve the flow and bad one-ways worsen it,” he added.

The proposed Core Inner Ring Road is expected to bring some respite to the City that has been waiting for Metrorail to decongest traffic and make roads safer.