Police action triggers gridlock on MG Rd

Police action triggers gridlock on MG Rd
Bangalore: Sep 7, DHNS:

Mahatma Gandhi Road was a veritable mess on Monday, as traffic suddenly closed towards Cubbon Road at Anil Kumble junction.


All the vehicles, including autos, were diverted to M G road, suffocating an already crowded road, due to to Metro construction. Bumper to bumper traffic from Anil Kumble Circle to Trinity Circle blocked traffic from the Brigade junction towards Anil Kumble circle and it was a long wait for all motorists, the entire day.
As the Metro Rail work began at Anil Kumble circle, the road connecting MG Road with Shivaji Nagar was blocked. Vehicles coming from St Marks Road towards Shivajinagar were either diverted towards MG Road-Brigade Road junction or towards Minsk Square. The Anil Kumble circle was blocked without any prior notice.
People who reached Anil Kumble Circle from Kasturba Road to go towards Shivajinagar were taken aback to see the road blocked. They had to either take a U-turn or drive the vehicle towards Brigade Road to take a left turn at Kamaraj Road in order to reach Shivaji Nagar.

A motorist Vishaal Deshpande complained that the BMRCL could have informed through electronic media and newspapers about the diversion at Anil Kumble circle.
“I went through a horrible experience. I was coming from the Corporation to go to Shivaji Nagar. On reaching here I saw the road blocked at Anil Kumble circle and had to go up to Brigade Road-MG Road junction.
“Then I took left to go straight up to Commercial Street to move towards Shivaji Nagar. I had the option to take left at Kasturba Road and MG Road junction but because I had no information about the road blockade,” said Vishaal.

St Mary’s Feast
To make matters worse, Shivajinagar was already experiencing traffic congestion due to St Mary’s Feast which will be held on Tuesday.
Commuters had to wait five signals for clearance from Kasturba road onto MG Road or Raj Bhavan road. Even buses were let onto MG Road till 11 am in the morning, to clear the traffic on adjacent roads.

Traffic police
Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Praveen Sood on Monday clarified that the notification was issued on the closure of Anil Kumble circle five days ago. “We expect this situation to persist for the next one week as the Metro construction is going on along the stretch,” said Sood.

The Commissioner expected the routine to set in the next couple of days among people to avoid St Marks Road and also M G Road.
“ M G Road is not equipped to take on such a heavy load of motor vehicle movement, but there is no other option,” he added. Kumble Circle will open next week, once the girdles are laid for the Metro piers to be constructed, he said. Meanwhile, boards were seen along Queens Road and at Ashirvadam Circle near Good Shepherd school appealing to motorists to go along CTO and bypass the Anil Kumble circle.

Namma Confusion
Contradicting the traffic police, the BMRCL engineers said the road will be closed for two weeks, until the work is completed.
Officials from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said the traffic police had issued a vehicle diversion plan ten days ago, which was published in the print media to inform public to avoid the stretch.
“We had informed the public that the stretch from St Marks Road towards Shivajinagar would be closed for on-going Metro work,” said B L Yashavanth Chavan, BMRCL spokesperson.

“Motorists should not venture into areas of where Bangalore Metro work is in full swing. Infrastructure being a priority, hardships are bound to be caused. If a Metro is to be constructed, sacrifices have to be made” said a chief engineer of BMRCL.