JOIN USFree roads from traffic signals
Automatic traffic signal lights are creating more problems than helping citizens in the city. In the name of streamlining traffic, the cops have put up traffic signal lights everywhere without examining whether they are required or not.
A majority of signal lights are located on the Jhansi Laxmibai Road. Hardly three circles are spared from installing signal lights on three km stretch from the junction of JLB Road-Nanjangud Road till Railway Station Circle.
Once there were hardly one or two traffic signal lights in the entire city. They were near K R Circle near New Sayyaji Rao Road and near the junction of Dhanvantari Road and New Sayyaji Rao Road. No doubt, the number of vehicles has increased by manifold but installing traffic signal lights without conducting proper scientific survey is totally ‘unwarranted’.
It is surprising to see traffic signal lights at Vedanta Hemmige Circle (popularly known as Ganesha Talkies Circle, near Gayatri Bhavan on Dhanvantari Road and also near Kukkarahalli Road as roads are wide enough for free movement of vehicles. No matter vehicles are there or not, drivers are forced to wait a minute or so for their turn to proceed further.
The one near the Gayatri Bhavan is not at all required considering the number of vehicles. The same in the case of Kukkarahalli Tank signal light too.
On JLB Road alone, there are signal lights at Vedanta Hemmige Circle, Ramaswamy Circle, MUDA Circle, Rotary School Circle, Hotel Metropole Circle and Dasappa Circle.
The circles that they have spared are Chamundi Puram Circle, Five lights Circle near Seth Mohandas Tulasidas Hospital and RTO Circle.
Once the signal lights are installed, the entire stretch of three km will be full of signal lights. The traffic constables switch on the lights and disappear leaving it to the drivers.
In the absence of cops the drivers jump signal lights without waiting for their turn.
The basic question here is whether so much of signal lights are required. Another question is why all the signal lights are located on JLB Road and not at other places.
Many drivers take parallel road of JLB Road to reach the railway station as there is not a single signal light on this stretch of road. It is observed that there will not be any chaos if the signal lights are switched off as all the vehicle drivers go without any problems. Problem is in store only if the signal lights are on.
Synchronised
The signal lights are not at all configured because of which the drivers are forced to wait near each signal lights for around two to two and a half minutes.
Although, one needs hardly eight to ten minutes to reach the Railway Station during odd hours, it is more than 15 minutes if the signal lights are on. But it has not been done so far. The cops are wrong if they think that mere installing of signal lights streamline traffic in the city. This number of signal lights may be required after some years when the city grows much larger.
A retired cop told City Herald that the signal lights should be installed only after taking into account certain parameters. It is a must if any place is accident-prone area.
Signal lights are absolutely not necessary in some places like Vedanta Hemmige Circle, Kukkarahalli Road Circle, near All India Institute of Speech and Hearing. But, it is required near old RMC Circle and Bannimantap Circle where the density of traffic is more.