Traffic police should be involved in the planning stages of infrastructure projects to ensure that the projects are matched by effective traffic management, K C Ramamurthy, IGP and Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) said on Thursday.

He was speaking during an interactive meeting organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“When a huge building comes up, the promoters would have ensured parking space within the building’s premises, but what about the road space available for people to reach the building? Fortunately, Bangalore Development Authority has assured a role for traffic police during clearance of mega infrastructure projects,” he said.

Inadequate space
Citing inadequate parking space as one of the key issues of the City, Ramamurthy pointed out that 35 per cent of the City’s road space was at present taken for parking.

The Additional Commissioner, while discussing possible measures to check the issue of inadequate parking space, said the Department was also exploring the possibilities of a rule that requires owners of cars to prove that they also had the parking space.

With Bangalore’s vehicular population standing at around 35 lakh and 1,100 new vehicles getting registered everyday, the City had only two options — reduce the number of vehicles, or increase the number of roads — in hand, he said.

Awareness plan
Lamenting that even the educated continue to violate traffic rules, he said the Traffic Police Department was set to initiate a project under which traffic awareness is ensured right at the school level.

“In the next three months, 10 lakh school children will be covered under the programme. Around 50 lakh pamphlets will also be distributed as part of the awareness programme,” he said.


ON THE AGENDA
*Dedicated policy for footpaths being drafted
* Synchronised, video camera-mounted signals
* Computerised details of vehicles, drivers by      year-end
* Early start for schools, offices
* Creation of truck terminals, satellite bus stations,         bus lanes
* Public parking lots from where people can      commute in BMTC buses
* Centralised point for monitoring entire City traffic
* Recruitment of more traffic policemen