Easing Bengaluru’s traffic top priority: Parameshwara

The new government’s main concern is to strengthen internal security and improve traffic management in Bengaluru, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Saturday.

Chairing a meeting with senior IAS and IPS officials, he asked the police top brass to take necessary measures to enhance internal security and decongest the city’s traffic.

The topic came up in the backdrop of traffic mismanagement during the oath-taking ceremonies at the Vidhana Soudha and Raj Bhavan recently. Parameshwara sought an explanation about traffic mismanagement from the police commissioner.

Senior police officials clarified that the congestion was because too many passes were issued to invitees and dignitaries. Another official blamed the rain. Parameshwara asked the police to work on a short-term solution to fix the traffic congestion.

The government will fully support the police to improve infrastructure, ensure better traffic management and maintain law and order, he said. Basic policing such as a beat system needs to be streamlined to contain crime rate.

Recalling his stint as the home minister for 18 months, Parameshwara said not only the people of the state, but also the entire country’s eyes are on the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

The meeting was convened in the presence of Chief Secretary Ratnaprabha and Additional Chief Secretary Rajneesh Goel, DG&IGP Neelmani Raju, DGPs Kishore Chandra and M N Reddi, Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar and ADGP Praveen Sood.

Parameshwara also sought details of the budgetary allocations necessary for the establishment of new police stations and other infrastructure as well as recruitment and training. He promised to convene a meeting of all zonal police officials and also a combined meeting of senior officials of the BBMP, BDA and city police to discuss common problems as well as for improvement of infrastructure facilities.