Learn road sense from traffic cops

Learn road sense from traffic cops
Amit S Upadhye | TNN

Bangalore: Apart from manning traffic on the busy Bangalore-Devanahalli Airport Road, the police will now act as part-time teachers to educate residents in areas alongside the 30-km National Highway No. 7.
With the D-day for the airport fast approaching, the traffic police are gearing up to ensure smooth traffic flow.
The three-part programme chalked out is: educate citizens, educate truckers and remove encroachments from the service road. The policemen have started visiting houses and distributing pamphlets containing guidelines for disciplined driving on service roads. The other important aspect of the training is to educate truckers, especially those who ferry sand and quarry.
“There are a number of quarrying units in Devanahalli, Bettada Ulasooru and Bande areas. Consequently, movement of trucks is also high. We will meet with drivers on Monday,’’ Pandurang Rane, DCP West (traffic) told the Times of India.
Service roads from Yelahanka to the airport are being used for various reasons. The trucks, which are under repair, occupy service roads, thus pushing the neighbourhood traffic on to the six-lane highway. This apart, encroachments such as construction debris and petty shops are adding to the woes.
“Making service roads free of encroachments will be top priority. If the service roads are operational, it will ease the burden on the main highway,’’ said Seemanth Kumar Singh, DCP East (traffic).
Traffic officers said the villagers’ response is positive. Bangalore traffic wardens have shown interest in joining hands with the traffic police to man the new airport road.
“It’s our duty to help the police regulate smooth flow of traffic. We are gearing up to man the traffic during evenings and on holidays once the airport is commissioned,’’ said M T Naik, chief traffic warden of Bangalore.
The present traffic and expected growth
City to Hebbal holds 15,000 Passenger Car units (PCUs) per hour during the peak hours and is expected to carry 18,000 PCUs/hr.
Hebbal and Yelahanka holds 12,000 PCUs, which will increase to 15,000 PCUs per hour.
Yelahanka to international airport holds 8,000 PCUs, which will shoot up to 11,000 PCUs once the airport is commissioned.
The calculation is based on 365 days of airport operation bringing in 11.7 lakh passengers and an equal number of relatives and friends. Thus, a minimum of 10,000 people will visit the airport everyday.
(Source: Traffic Engineering and Safety Trainers) Road to Devanahalli