JOIN USThe vision behind the Tender SURE project, that is currently on in various parts of the City, seemed positive at first. However, the process has become a nightmarish experience for most Bengalureans passing through these roads. The project has led to slow-moving traffic and the machinery and barricades used for the work are left uncleared.
While the project provides ample space for pedestrians and cyclists, it has clearly thrown traffic out of gear. And when big events like the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches are held in the centre of the City, people are stuck on these stretches for hours together. Shruthi, a professional, who travels through St Mark’s Road everyday, says, “During the recent IPL match, the traffic congestion on this road was terrible. It took me 45 minutes to just cross St Mark’s Road to go towards UB City. Even the traffic signals are of no help in such a situation. That day, the signal blinked red for over 20 minutes and there were traffic police everywhere to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic.” She adds that the situation gets worse during rains.
“This stretch gets messy when it rains and if there is an IPL match, it only adds to the misery of the motorists. The travel time during peak hours has clearly increased after the implementation of this project. The authorities must take some measures to bring the situation under control,” she adds. The St Mark’s Road stretch poses several obstacles to the easy movement of pedestrians despite the widening of the footpath. Tarachand, a senior citizen who has been living on St Mark’s Road for over a decade, says that the road has never been this bad. “The project is aimed at making things easier for the pedestrians. But the ground reality is different. Several huge machineries are placed on the footpath which obstruct movement. The private vehicles of business establishments are also parked on the footpath during peak hours and there are also many motorists riding on the footpath who obstruct pedestrian movement,” he reasons. He further points out that the project has only made the roads more narrow and now, it has become all the more difficult for pedestrians to find their way around. “Narrowing the roads and widening the footpaths is not a way to develop the City. More importance must be given to the maintenance of footpaths rather than just widening them.”
The traffic pouring in from Residency Road, Richmond Road, Lavelle Road, UB City and the Ashoknagar area not only poses a challenge to those driving on this stretch but to the traffic police as well. Suresh, another motorist, says, “The peak hour usually starts at 9 am. But ever since this project began, the peak hours in this area is from 8 am to 8 pm. The smoke generated from the vehicles has taken a toll on our health too.”
Parking is another major cause of concern especially for the many business establishments and schools located in the area. Purshottam, an auto driver, who also drives a few children to school, says, “Since it’s vacation time for the schools, you see less congestion on the roads. But during normal school days, children struggle to cross the road. There is also the constant fear of getting hit by a moving vehicle.” He thinks the authorities must make some provision for the parking of school buses. “Children have to get into the school bus really fast because there’s no parking. If they are even a little slow while boarding the bus, the vehicles from the back start honking. This project has triggered more problems than offering a solution,” he adds.
Senthi, a professional, wonders how many people really choose to walk or cycle their way through. She feels that the authorities should have widened only one side of the road and left the other side untouched.
“Most of the roads, on which the project is going on, are located in the central part of the City which has several business establishments. In the long run, the authorities have to find a better solution,” she sums up.