No cop, only 'go slow' sign at Iblur Junction

Just two days after a fatal accident at the Iblur junction in East Bengaluru, authorities now seem evading responsibility.

HSR traffic police have put up a Kannada signboard at the junction that reads, ‘please go slow as pedestrians are crossing the road.’

Doddamuniyappa (55), a walker, died in an accident while crossing the road at the Iblur junction on Sunday. A concrete mixer truck had knocked him down from behind.

At the moment, there is neither a zebra crossing at the junction nor there is a regular traffic policeman. Though the HSR layout traffic police claim otherwise.

“There is a traffic constable present at the junction every day to assist pedestrians crossing the Iblur main road. One policeman stands at the junction from 8 am to 2 pm, after which another policeman takes over until 8 pm. There is not a single day that there is no traffic policeman at the junction,” said an HSR layout traffic policeman.

On Tuesday afternoon, when DH visited the spot, there was not a single traffic cop in the vicinity. “Sometimes, the policeman may be away for lunch, or would have been engaged in some other work,” said the HSR traffic cop who did not wish to be quoted.

However, regular walkers claimed there is never a traffic policeman at the junction to assist them. “I find it really difficult to cross the road. Whenever I want to cross the road, I wait for other people to join me. If we are a group, then the vehicles slow down. But, when I am solo, I take nearly 20 minutes to cross,” said Shashikala, a regular.