Metro won't halt traffic on MG Road completely

Metro won't halt traffic on MG Road completely

Soumya Menon



The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has asked the city traffic police to close the Mayo Hall junction on MG Road for 15 days from May 26. Praveen Sood, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) spoke to Soumya Menon and assured that the Namma Metro work would not stop the movement of traffic completely on MG Road.

How has Namma Metro work thrown the traffic out of gear?
It is not just the Namma Metro. Any project to improve the infrastructure, including flyovers and underpass works, affect the traffic movement adversely. The public have to be patient to bear with such problems temporarily for long term benefits. We make adequate diversions whenever a junction has to be blocked. No road is completely blocked for the Metro work, except the CMH Road and in Ulsoor, where the works will continue for a year.

Do you inform the residents about the traffic diversions in advance?
No traffic diversion is made without informing the public. Residents are informed about traffic diversions regularly. We prefer to inform them two days prior to the work commencing at a particular junction. Informing people 20 days earlier will only create panic and confusion. We always release notifications through the media with elaborate maps.

Route changes affect normal traffic movement. How do you manage it?
When a major road becomes unavailable for commuting, we cannot find a 100% appropriate substitute for it. Other roads are less user friendly and lead to more traffic congestions. But, this is only for short intervals. Traffic can never be normal with Namma Metro work going on. It is a major project which has to be given top priority. Metro work cannot be stopped and will not be affected by any other traffic concerns.

Do you think Namma Metro will improve the traffic situation in the city?
The Metro will reduce the dependence on the private mode of transport. Mumbai which has a 1.4 crore population has only 18 lakh vehicles, whereas Bangalore with a population of 70 lakh has 35 lakh vehicles on the road. This is basically because of the absence of an adequate public transport system. Namma Metro has been designed in such a way that it will carry at least 10 lakh passengers everyday and will take a large chunk of private vehicles off the road. It will definitely ease the traffic situation. People would prefer traveling by Metro rather than any other mode of transport. It is much quicker.

Do the traffic police have regular meetings and discussions with BMRCL?
Both the departments hold regular meetings and make appropriate plans. BMRCL cannot start any work at any junction without consulting us. We have to make adequate diversions to avoid causing inconvenience to the public.