Your roads are snarling

Your roads are snarling

Senthalir S. Bangalore
Pedestrians and motorists, prepare for the worst road chaos in the coming two years thanks to the ongoing construction works being carried out by civic agencies.
Most of the roads are already operating above their capacity. According to the Bangalore traffic police, the capacity ranges from 1:2, 1:3 and 1:5. The closure of roads for construction will increase the density of vehicles in the days to come.
It is not just the Metro project that is causing traffic congestion. The construction of flyovers, underpasses and overpasses, going on in different parts of the city, add to the road chaos.
"Traffic will be thrown out of gear till all the projects are completed. Vehicles moving in four-lane roads will now have to move in two lanes. The worst affected areas will be Mysore road, Magadi road and West of Chord road," said Praveen Sood, additional commissioner of police (Traffic).
He said the Vidhana Soudha road will be closed for three years till the Metro project takes off. "While public transportation will be given utmost importance and will be let to move in main roads, all light vehicles will be diverted to residential areas," Praveen said.Though the projects would help in the longer term to decongest city traffic, people will have to suffer before they enjoy the benefits of these projects.
MN Sreehari, traffic consultant and adviser to the government (transport), said "The traffic situation in the city is in chaos. Before sanctioning a project, traffic diversion scheme and details of the diversion roads had to be given to the traffic commissioner. Only after ensuring safety and adequate illumination of roads should any project be sanctioned.
"Traffic police should work in tandem with the project heads to ensure safe travel. Though there is no such written rule, this has to be followed as a stipulated norm. Most of the times, the traffic situation is not looked into before sanctioning and that explains why no solution is sought for traffic snarls."
Sood said, "We are working in close co-ordination with all civic agencies for creating effective Traffic Management plans which could minimise the misery of public to the extent best possible.