This stretch cries for relief from traffic

By S Lalitha, DH News Service, Bangalore:
"I have told my driver that shortly his services may not be required as I will dread to use my vehicle," remarked Dr Varkey, a resident of P G D'Souza Layout, which branches off from Vittal Mallya Road...


He was summing up the traffic woes experienced by motorists who use the stretch of this road from the Lavelle Road junction to Kasturba Road junction.

Two-way traffic is permitted along this arterial road. However, as parking is permitted on one side, the stationed four-wheelers and two-wheelers occupy 40 per cent of the road. It is a virtual battle between vehicles from opposite sides to manoeuvre and forge ahead. According to the traffic police, the parking was meant only for two-wheelers though a couple of cars have been given permission. The reality is that cars swamp the parking spot.

“The problem is not just the ordinary parking. We have to cope with even double and triple parking sometimes,” says Philip, one of the members of the managing committee of the D’Souza Layout Residents Association. To make matters worse, a few autorickshaws station themselves on the opposite side and wait for customers.

The parking issue has become a major problem ever since the UB City came into existence on this road. To avoid fee charged for parking their vehicles inside this sprawling complex, many prefer to park them on the road across. “The scrapping of payment for parking on this road makes them prefer to park here, says octogenarian A B D’ Souza. UB City had allegedly encroached upon some road space and the Lokayukta forced them to push back. However, some portion of the road still remains under litigation.

It is over five years since the roads have been asphalted, sighs Dilip, a businessman who resides here. The small and big potholes on the road play a key role in slowing down vehicular movement. Despite two cops present at the spot, the chaos at the Coffee Day junction where five roads meet is huge. The other end of the Mallya Road where `Ffolio’ is there is no better spacewise as mini vans line up the road from morning to afternoon. ACP (Traffic), Central, Easwar Prasad said the department was doing its best to regulate traffic flow on the road and many violating vehicles were towed away often. “If the problem gets acute, we will make it a `No Parking’ zone,” he said.