Motorists using roads in the central business district (CBD) have been enduring traffic gridlocks due to the presence of schools in the area.
Even during lean hours, vehicles pile up on the Richmond Circle flyover almost till the up ramp from Double Road. Private cars and school vans that come to pick up children from these schools on Residency Road are parked haphazardly on both sides of the road, leaving other motorists just two lanes and sometimes just a single lane to traverse.
Besides Residency Road, the traffic is also hit on Museum Road, St Mark's Road, Vittal Mallya Road and Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road for nearly two to three hours every day.
When additional commissioner of police, Bengaluru, R Hitendra was asked for a solution, he said: "The schools themselves are a problem. We have tried to implement many measures, but everything has failed. I have ordered traffic personnel to ensure smooth traffic. We are doing our best to manage this. My request to commuters is to avoid the road from 8 am to 10 am and from 2 pm to 4 pm."
The traffic is also affecting BMTC passengers, with private vehicles and school vans parked bumper to bumper at the bus shelters. "The situation will improve for a few days, but gets worse after a while. Sometimes, it takes nearly two hours to reach Museum Road from Shanthinagar. With vehicles parked all over, passengers are forced to walk to the middle of the road to board the bus," said a BMTC driver.
Prakash, who travels to Domlur from Shanthinagar every day, also blamed the school authorities for the issue. "The schools have huge fields within their campuses. Why don't they allow parking inside? The number of vehicles will be reduced if parents opt for public transport or school buses. Waiting on the two-wheeler endlessly in the traffic and under the afternoon heat is agonising," he said.
When DH tried to reach the representatives of the schools for a reaction, it got no response.
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