Automatic traffic system at KR Circle

The KR Circle Junction, which was signal-free for the last five years, has now reverted to the previous traffic signal system to handle the increased flow of traffic.

The automatic traffic light system was restored on the order of the City police and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to help facilitate underground work related to ‘Namma Metro’.
Somshekhar, Chief Engineer, Roads, told Deccan Herald “The BMRCL and traffic police have decided to install signal automated system in view of Metro work”.

Increasing traffic had not only slowed the movement of the vehicles at the Circle, but was also a hindrance to pedestrians. The volume of traffic is on a steady rise at the junction which acts as a central hub feeding traffic to the Vidhana Soudha, the High Court and the lower courts. “As the number of vehicles being registered per day in Bangalore has increased up to 2,000, the traffic has increased and the lane system is a failure. Also, a bus moves through this Circle every three seconds ,” said traffic expert M N Srihari.

He explained that K R Circle can handle up to 3,000 passenger car unit (PCU) per hour, but under the signal system, traffic increased up to 8,000, PCU per hour. “To bring the traffic under control, it was changed to the rotary system where separate lanes were implemented for vehicles to move freely and faster,” he said.

The Palike had earlier decided to install a signal-free rotary system with separate lanes and two underpasses at a cost of Rs one crore, in 2009.

“The rotary system is feasible where the volume of traffic is low. But it is too high at KR Circle,” said M A Salem, Additional Commissioner, Traffic and Security. Two to three police officers had to be deployed at the Circle to monitor traffic when rotary system was in force, he added.