Bumpy ride: Traffic snarls continue on Ring Road

Bumpy ride: Traffic snarls continue on Ring Road
Deccan Herald

Indiscriminate parking and overspeeding vehicles have already hijacked the Ring Road’s purpose. And the battered stretch from Bapsapalya towards Byappanahalli aptly sums up the damage on the road that was billed to ease Bangalore of its burgeoning truck and lorry traffic.

Many parts of the road - that diverts a substantial chunk of the truck and lorry traffic - are narrow lanes of tar flanked by stones, potholes and slush. With every passing truck, the road is fast heading towards a natural end, as reflected in the growing cracks on it.

Race remains

With the stretch of tar becoming narrower after the rains shredded more of its edges, the race for space among truck and lorry drivers has just got meaner. The impact of the tyres on the mud stretches on both sides of the road reflects the pace of the traffic. And the piles of sharp stones on the road point to the possibilities of accidents.

‘Accident-prone’

“Accidents have become quite common on this road. The heavy vehicles have cut into the road and made it narrow. Now, when the road is in such a bad shape, there seems to be no fall in the number of trucks and lorries taking this route,” said Raghunath, a resident of K R Puram.

The lights on the road also leave a lot to be desired, and night riders continue to dangerously dodge the craters and speeding vehicles on the sparsely lit stretch.

“I don’t remember the last time this road was tarred, but it surely can’t take this kind of heavy traffic anymore,” said Sudheesh, a Lingarajapuram resident who frequently drives down the road.