Revisiting a traffic nightmare

Revisiting a traffic nightmare
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Traffic police would stop vehicles entering M G Road from Ulsoor whenever a VIP went on to the airport to receive Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.


“It is hell to travel in Bangalore City whenever there is a VVIP visit,” said K Ramakrishna, who works in a private firm on Residency Road. On any other day, Ramakrishna would reach Trinity Circle within 45 minutes from K R Puram. But the BMTC bus, which he regularly takes to reach his office, took half an hour more on Friday.

Vehicles queued up from Trinity Circle to Ulsoor BMTC depot for more than half an hour around 10.30 am. Traffic police would stop vehicles entering M G Road from Ulsoor whenever a VIP went on to the airport to receive Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and other ministers of the State Cabinet, senior police officials went to the airport one after the other, affecting vehicular movement for more than an hour.

In the morning, Richmond Road, M G road, Palace Road and Raj Bhavan Road were blocked due to heavy pile up of vehicles. BMTC buses were allowed to ply on M G Road to curb further traffic problems.

Repeat

The situation was repeated when the PM returned. Vehicular movement was stopped on Ambedkar Veedhi, about 40 minutes prior to the PM’s departure from Vidhana Soudha. This affected traffic on Raj Bhavan Road, Indian Express circle, Infantry Road, Cubbon Road, K R Circle, K G Road, Corporation Circle and surrounding areas.

Hundreds of people including staff of Karnataka High Court, who were returning home, were stranded for 45 minutes as they were not allowed to move. It took more than an hour for the traffic police to bring back normal traffic movement.

Airport road was the worst affected, particularly during the Prime Minster’s arrival and departure time. Roads connecting to Airport Road saw traffic jams at 12 noon and from 6 to 7 pm in the evening. Marathahalli, Old Madras Road and Indiranagar 100 feet Road were literally choked.