Traffic woes compounded by shifting of bus operations

Traffic woes compounded by shifting of bus operations

Anil Kumar Sastry

Tamil Nadu-bound buses now operating from Mysore Road Terminal also

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

HAMPERING SMOOTH MOVEMENT: While leaving the Mysore Road KSRTC terminal in Bangalore, buses have to cut across the road for their onward journey.

BANGALORE: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) move to decongest Majestic area by relocating operations of all Tamil Nadu-bound buses to the Mysore Road Terminal has only shifted the traffic congestion.

KSRTC had recently shifted operations of Tamil Nadu State Corporation buses (except premium services) to the Mysore Road Terminal. With this, traffic load has considerably increased on the congested stretch from K.R. Market, Town Hall–Sirsi Circle Flyover, Chamarajapet to Mysore Road.

The move has also affected passengers and the functioning of Tamil Nadu’s bus corporations. Passengers either have to travel all the way to Mysore Road Terminal or wait at wayside bus stops braving the sun and rain to board a bus.

KSRTC shifted operations of around 800 Tamil Nadu-bound trips to decongest the Kempe Gowda Bus Station and the roads around Majestic area. The corporation earlier shifted operations of all Mysore-bound buses to the Mysore Terminal.

Now buses to and from Hosur, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, which ply via Hosur Road, are made to go all the way to Mysore Road Terminal.

Instead of moving on Kempe Gowda Road from Hudson Circle (to Majestic), these buses make 400 one-way trips from Hudson Circle via the flyover, Mysore Circle and Mysore Road.

Though there is not much of a problem when these buses enter the Terminal (as it is on the left side of the Mysore Road), regular traffic comes to a standstill when they exit the Terminal as they have to cut across the road and turn towards the city.

At the same time, unhindered movement of lorries on the stretch is also causing traffic hold-ups. The city police have banned movement of trucks on the road during daytime.

KSRTC, however, contended that the move has considerably reduced pressure on its Majestic bus stand.

“Imagine the relief for the central bus station, K.G. Road and roads on the Dharmambudhi Tank-bund after 800 trips were shifted from this area,” said K.A. Rajkumar, General Manager (Operations), KSRTC.

Besides reducing the congestion, the running time of these buses has also come down, thus benefiting Tamil Nadu-bound passengers. He further said the corporation was considering construction of satellite bus stations on all important roads leading to the city.

Tamil Nadu’s bus corporations have reported considerable decrease in occupancy as well as revenue collection. An official of the corporation said not many people wish to go all the way to Mysore Road Terminal.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) K.C. Ramamurthy told The Hindu that KSRTC did not involve the traffic police while taking the decision. Agreeing that the congestion has been shifted to a busy area, the officer said the department would draw a plan to ease traffic in Chamarajapet and on Mysore Road.