More lanes for autorickshaws

More lanes for autorickshaws
The Hindu

The aim is to improve road safety and ensure smooth flow of traffic

# Advantages It will become easy for passengers to hail autos
# For other motorists not having to fight for space with autos is a blessing

Bangalore: The city traffic police are thinking of having dedicated lanes for use by autorickshaws on some more roads.

The aim is to improve road safety because autorickshaws darting in and out of lanes in search of fares can be avoided.

It will also become easier for passengers to hail an autorickshaw.

To start with, Airport Road and a section of Kempegowda Road are to have separate autorickshaw lanes. On Kempegowda Road, the stretch between Mysore Bank Circle and Corporation Circle is likely to have an autorickshaw lane.

A barricaded autorickshaw lane has been in place around the City Bus Station near Majestic Circle.

Opinion is divided about the dedicated autorickshaw lane that has been in place on Mahatma Gandhi Road for more than three years now.

The traffic police are satisfied while other road users who need to take a turn, say towards Kamaraj Road, complain their way is blocked. For other motorists not having to fight for space with autorickshaws is a blessing.

The traffic police say they have identified 20 roads where autorickshaw lanes are practical, taking into account road width, traffic density and related factors.

Over the next two weeks the system is to be introduced on at least two other roads, subject to an official notification. On the other roads identified, the system is to be implemented in phases.

The next phase for autorickshaw lanes is expected to include Ramana Maharshi Road, Race Course Road, Indiranagar 100 ft Road, Sir C.V. Raman Road, Residency Road and Cubbon Road. These roads have sufficient space for autorickshaw lanes.

According to studies carried out by the traffic police, autorickshaws slow down faster vehicles and if they are confined to a dedicated lane, other traffic will flow smoother and that much faster.

The risk of autorickshaws suddenly swerving and changing lanes at intersections and trying to overtake other vehicles will also be minimised.

But the autorickshaw lanes are possible only on wider stretches and those where no right turns are allowed for the three-wheelers, the police point out.

On Mahatma Gandhi Road for instance, autorickshaws cannot turn into Brigade Road while larger vehicles are allowed to. So the system works well there.