A reality check on dedicated lanes

A reality check on dedicated lanes
Autos, two-wheelers at the crossroads
Deccan Herald

A reality check by Deccan Herald on the dedicated auto lanes – introduced on trial basis on Queens Road, Cubbon Road, Yelladi Junction and Old Post Office Road – revealed that two-wheeler riders are on the receiving end of the laning discipline.

The City Traffic Police Department introduced dedicated autorickshaw lanes to speed up traffic movement. A week later, confused autorickshaw and motorbike riders are still trying to get used to the new lanes, at times leading to accidents.

A reality check by Deccan Herald on the dedicated auto lanes – introduced on trial basis on Queens Road, Cubbon Road, Yelladi Junction and Old Post Office Road – revealed that two-wheeler riders are on the receiving end of the laning discipline.

This reporter on Monday went around Cubbon Road and Queens Road during the peak evening hour (between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm), and was witness to an accident, where both the rider and the passenger on the pillion were badly hurt.

Accident

At 6.30 pm, the rider on a motorbike, with a woman pillion rider, rammed onto the barricade, as the auto in front of him swerved to his left, giving no warning to the rider.

The bike rider ran straight into the barricade, where the yellow line begins. His right arm suffered scrapes and his leg was badly injured. The pillion rider injured her mouth, hands and one knee, and had to be taken to hospital.

‘Initial’ chaos?

The rider, quite angry, did not reveal his name, but expressed his extreme displeasure over the authorities approach to streamlining traffic.

“They should have introduced the barricade and the line right at the zebra crossing. How is one to know what is ahead in this heavy traffic? This is an awful reflection on the way traffic is managed in the City,” he said.

Additional Commissioner (Traffic) M N Reddi said there would be “initial confusion” as commuters needed to tune themselves to the sudden change.

He said the average network speed in Bangalore had come down by 50 per cent, thanks to the autos.

“Autos move at a speed of 18-20 km, while two-wheelers and cars move at a minimum of 40 km an hour. So the entire traffic movement has been at a very slow pace,” he said.

Speed

After introduction of the dedicated auto lane in K G Road, the speed of traffic had “gone up 30 per cent”.

Very soon, the department would announce more dedicated lanes, as these would in the long run help ease the congestion to a large extent.

More police to keep vigil

Many motorists enter the lane, too late to realise their mistake

Accidents occur when there is sudden movement towards the lane

K G Road is the only place where dedicated auto lane has been enforced

Big signboards and markings on the road, such as ‘For autos, cyclists and those turning left only’, will be in place next week

Traffic Department to introduce the system in 30 streets

More traffic policemen to divert traffic into the lane