Smooth drive still elusive on MG Road

Smooth drive still elusive on MG Road

MK Madhusoodan. Bangalore



Motorists hoping to cruise along the entire stretch of Mahatma Gandhi Road on Thursday were a disappointed lot, as the city traffic police failed to throw open completely the stretch of the thoroughfare between Webbs Junction and Trinity Circle.
The road was billed to be thrown open for traffic completely on Wednesday night. However, the continuing construction work on the Metro station at Trinity Circle, scuttled the plans of the police. Vehicles were not allowed to move in the direction of Trinity Circle to Webbs Junction, while motorists could drive in the reverse direction.
"We wanted better protection for the motorists who drive underneath the parapet meant for the Metro station at Trinity Circle. We have asked Metro engineers to spread nets overhead so that no debris fall on moving vehicles and pose danger to the public as well as to the vehicles. The work on spreading nets overhead on the entire stretch will take another three or four day after which we will decide whether to allow traffic in both directions," said additional commissioner of police (traffic) Praveen Sood.
"There are debris and other construction materials on this stretch which have to be removed. There is still work going on and there is all possibility that material may fall from the top," Sood added.
He said after inspecting the traffic flow on the stretch, he felt there was a need to erect barricades as a temporary median. "There are motorists jumping lanes in the middle of the stretch in both directions. They need to be regulated and a temporary median will be erected till a permanent road divider is put in place," he said.
Sood said the entire MG Road was being cleaned up and this work could take 10 more days, after which the road would be relaid.
The traffic police will reverse the two-way traffic on Brunton Road and lift ban on movement of vehicles on other roads linking MG Road. "There is some more Metro work to be completed, besides removal of steel beams and other construction material, which is obstructing the road, after which the traffic flow will be smoother," another officer said.
He admitted that work on the broken water pipes and underground drains taken up by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had slowed down traffic movement on Ulsoor Road running parallel to MG Road besides Old Madras Road. The traffic police were hoping that this work would be completed soon and there would be smooth movement of traffic in the entire area, he said.