B-TRAC may be another ‘castle in the air’

B-TRAC may be another ‘castle in the air’

Vijay Times

Bangalore: The much hyped BTRAC 2010 programme, an initiative of the Bangalore Traffic Task Force to ease the Citys congested traffic in a systematic manner may not see the desired results if a time-bound action plan is not follwed for its implementation, says traffic mangement expert Prof M N Sreehari, chairman, Traffic Engineers and Safety Trainers (TEST).

Sreehari, while describing the new 10-point initiative as nothing more than "Old wine in an old bottle with new packaging," said the project if not implemented in quick time on an area-wise basis may join past projects as another "castle in the air." Sreehari said the no-headlightuse on designated roads, and the zero tolerance zone and the auto only lane on M G Road were examples of how regulations failed to achieve desired results due to poor enforcement.

"For a city with about 5,000 km road length and over 27 lakh vehicles plying, how can just 1,800 traffic constables control and bring about order? It cannot in its present form. This is precisely why no new regulations are enforcable," Sreehari lamented, suggesting a concrete action plan to make the BTRAC a success with visible results.

However, the police are confident that B-TRAC 2010 will achieve desired results.

DCP Traffic (East) M A Saleem said enforcement of existing laws should suffice in bringing about visible road discipline.

"The Indian Motor Vehicles Act, though enacted long ago, is stringent enough if implemented in its true spirit and to make the B-TRAC initiative a success, we have started enforcing rules in a more disciplined manner. Offences such as dangerous and drunken driving will no longer be tolerated," he said.

Leniency of laws led to motorists taking advantage of the lacunae in the system. There were plans to increase traffic police manpower. Once this happened the Citys roads would be different in the next six months, he said.

‘Old wine in an old bottle with new packaging’

8 Traffic control, management, regulation and enforc TRAC
8 Create model roads in each zone and emulate them
8 42 traffic zones with 42 traffic inspectors to ado each
8 Implement with time bound plan
8 Can increase to 20 roads within six months
8 Rope-in BMP corporators and make them adopt 4 road