Rapid traffic action plan, help desk in the offing

Rapid traffic action plan, help desk in the offing

The Hindu

The action plan will bring about improvement in traffic in the next six months

# Traffic police to announce `traffic jam alerts' through SMS
# Right turns and `U' turns at important locations will be prohibited
# Heavy traffic corridors to get immediate attention

Bangalore: You may soon get a SMS (short messaging service) on your cellphone from the traffic police asking you to avoid taking a particular junction or road because of traffic jam.

While announcing a major traffic improvement plan, to be in place by 2010, the city police have come out with ideas for immediate action.

Some of these may be implemented in the coming weeks. With travel time even between, say, M.G. Road and Richmond Circle taking up to 30 minutes during peak hours, such measures have become urgent.

For the traffic police, congestion and traffic jams are the two biggest challenges they face on a daily basis. They realise that while a number of plans has been drawn up to improve infrastructure and public transport, these are long-term measures and the need of the hour is short-term solutions to bring about immediate improvement in the traffic situation.

Owing to the increase in traffic, even minor accidents or vehicle breakdowns can result in hold-ups. The proposed Rapid Traffic Action Plan is aimed at bringing about "visible improvement in Bangalore's traffic in the coming six months" senior police officers claim. The traffic police will ban parking on important streets and violations of parking rules will be strictly dealt with. Right turns and "U" turns at important locations will also be prohibited as this slows down traffic. Lanes will be properly demarcated and roads will be cleared by removing trees, lampposts and relocating bus stops, wherever necessary.

Traffic signals will be synchronised and maintained better. Heavy traffic corridors such as Airport Road, Hosur Road and those in the Central Business District will get immediate attention.

The traffic police also plan to involve road users and start a Traffic Help Desk. Traffic in certain areas will be monitored through closed circuit cameras. Traffic alerts will be announced through the media, including through the radio and via cellphones.