Traffic chaos, bane of Malleswaram

Traffic chaos, bane of Malleswaram

Swathi Shivanand

Opening of the bridge on Sampige Road has only worsened the situation

Bangalore: If horrendous traffic is a great conversation starter among people in Bangalore, those in one of the city’s oldest layouts — Malleswaram — are living it, day in and day out.

Ever since the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) began construction of the underpass at Malleswaram Circle, purportedly to ease traffic flow in the area, quality of life has dipped to abysmal levels for people in the area. Opening of the bridge on Sampige Road — a part of the underpass — for use on November 6 has only worsened the situation, say residents of the area. Since the inflow of vehicles has increased, more manual traffic signals have become necessary along the bylanes that criss-cross Sampige Road. “These signals mean more stops and more hold-ups for vehicles,” says S. Nanda, who has an office on Sampige Road.
Walker’s nightmare

The market area — in and around 8th Cross — already abandoned by shoppers has turned into a walker’s nightmare. A manual traffic signal has been introduced at the intersection of 8th Cross and Sampige Road. “It leads to more holds-up on 8th Cross as buses from Rajajinagar towards Majestic and Shivajinagar still use 8th Cross. With so many buses waiting on the narrow road, it has become impossible to walk now,” a regular user of the road said.

Neither those who are live close to Malleswaram Circle nor those in other parts of this locality have got any relief from the opening of the new bridge. Life continues to be hell for them, just as it has been since construction of the underpass began.

In K. Radhika’s house, located at the corner of 18th Cross, 4th Main Malleswaram, conversations and family get-togethers do not happen in the living room. “Our house vibrates constantly as at least six buses going towards Majestic screech into this road one after the other every two minutes,” says Ms. Radhika

The 4th Main has, since the formation of Malleswaram, been purely a residential area with four schools along this long stretch. But after work on the underpass was started, buses were diverted to this road. To accommodate the flow of hundreds of buses onto the road, it has been turned into a one-way, requiring people to go roundabout to reach their houses.

“No autorickshaw driver wants to come to Malleswaram. For a distance that used to cost me minimum fare, they ask me for Rs. 30. For them to get out of the area, they say they have to take circuitous routes,” says Ashwini R. The numerous bylanes in the area are clogged and traffic jams are more regular than before. “I cannot even step out of my house because they have a signal at the end of the road and there are vehicles outside all the time,” says Ms. Ashwini.