Pied piper will be lost in Bommanahalli

Pied piper will be lost in Bommanahalli

Elevated road project work is restricting road space for motorists as well as pedestrians

There are No traffic signals or bus shelters at this chaotic junction

Huidina N. Bangalore



Safety, which is the prime concern of commuters, has lost its sight at Bommanahalli junction. A short cut to cross the junction had cut short the lives of many pedestrians in their prime.
The construction work of the elevated road from Silk Junction to Electronic City, which is being carried out by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), has reduced road space here restricting the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
With no traffic signals, police are finding it difficult to direct traffic by standing on the road. Despite the face mask, they inhale lot of dust as they keep removing it while shouting at errant motorists and pedestrians. One was recently hit by a vehicle.
"The unprecedented delay in the completion of the Rs-775.7 crore road project has contributed to the chaos at the junction. Although the traffic signals are ready for installation, we are waiting for the completion of the road project. If we install them now, chances are that they may be shifted later. The process is expensive. The bus bay planned near the junction is still under construction," said T Venkatesh, inspector of traffic at Madiwala police station.
Expressing her woes, Tina Jacob, a pedestrian, said she gets tensed whenever she has to cross the junction towards Begur.
"Vehicles converge here in a dangerous way," she said.
In order to avoid congestion, a subway has been constructed a few meters from the junction.
"But very few use this facility. Until the elevated road construction is over, pedestrians should use the subway for their own safety. Or else, they face risk while crossing the junction," said Venkatesh.
Pedestrians have their own reasons for avoiding the subway.
"Everyone crosses the junction. Then why should I walk some extra metres to the subway," said Raju Sharma, a pedestrian.
"The only way to ensure safety and avoid jams is to complete the 9-km elevated road project. NHAI says it will be over by October, but the slow progress of the work tells a different story," said B Lokesh, assistant commissioner of police (traffic) of Adugodi.
"Two sub-inspectors, five constables and many more supervisors and guards are being deployed at the junction daily to maintain order," said T Venkatesh.
"The traffic police are expected to regulate 20 buses when the capacity is only for five buses at a time," he said.