Underpass work triggers chaos in Malleswaram

Underpass work triggers chaos in Malleswaram

The Hindu

Bangalore: Chaos reigns supreme in Malleswaram following traffic diversion because of the construction of a underpass in the area.

Roads that had been one-way for decades have suddenly been converted into two-ways with not many boards to indicate the change. Fourth Main Road with six schools in its vicinity has many buses speeding past.

There are not enough speed breakers to make bus drivers slow down. Eighth Cross, where people throng to during evenings and festivals, has become another bus route adding to the mess.

These were the complaints that residents made to Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic (West) Ramasubba at an interaction on Thursday between the residents and traffic police, organised by Malleswaram Swabhimana Inititaive (MSI).

Residents and MSI had opposed the project from the beginning. But they seemed to have accepted the reality of the grade separator and had plenty of suggestions to ease traffic congestion, especially on 4th Main Road.

Chitra A. Rao, director of Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peetha School, suggested that if more changes related to parking and traffic directions were planned, residents should be informed of it at least a day in advance. She also said that the bus drivers could be advised not to horn repeatedly as it disturbed the peace of the residential layout.

Sumathi Rao, president of MSI, said that KSRTC, mofussil and private buses could be diverted to other routes as they did not drop or pick up people along the road, thereby reducing the number of buses plying on 4th Main Road. She also said that the authorities must apply white paint on newly constructed speed breakers to make it visible for people who generally not use the road.

Leela Narayan of Vidyaniketan School said that the traffic police could prohibit driving school cars on 4th Main Road during peak hours, footpath vendors could be asked to shift elsewhere as they attracted large crowds and vehicles that delivered goods to shops along 4th Main Road, could be banned during peak hours.