Caught in the block

Traffic snarls are nothing new to the City. But with the Metro construction going on in many parts of the City, Bangaloreans are facing endless traffic jams even during non-peak hours.

One such junction is the Sarakki signal on Kanakapura Road. The Metro rail work
from Sarakki signal to Banashankari Temple is going on at its own pace.

As a result, commuters and pedestrians have been bearing the brunt of bad and damaged roads and traffic movement, which is at a snail’s pace.

Vehicles moving bumper-to-bumper have become a regular scene here.

Dhananjay, a motorist, travels everyday from his apartment near the Sarakki signal towards Banashankari.
 
He says that it takes him close to 30 minutes to cover the stretch on his bike.

“The Metro rail authorities were supposed to complete the work by the end of this year on this busy road. But looking at their progress, it does not look like they will
be able to do that,” he adds.

Some residents say that even at five in the morning, there is a problem on this stretch.
Vijayan, a resident on Kanakapura Main Road, says that the 600-metre-stretch is not only filthy but also chaotic.

“Every day, till eight in the morning, both sides of the road are occupied by trucks and tempos because of the wholesale vegetable market there. The sad thing is that there is very little space for other vehicles to move. These sellers mess up the entire road and make it filthy and they leave most of the unsold vegetables on the roads.

To add to the woes, cows are also seen on the road feeding on the vegetables.

We lose time as well as fuel while getting stuck on this jam-packed road,” he adds. The motorists on the Old Madras Road that leads to Whitefield also have their share of woes. The phase two of the Metro may seem a long way off but the residents and those working on the stretch between Byappanahalli and Whitefield are already dreading the Metro work.  Not because they are against development of any sort but because they can foresee the mess the structure will cause.

For years, motorists using the Old Madras Road near Byappanahalli, have endured potholes and traffic chaos on the poorly-maintained stretch. With the Metro
test work on, it will only add to the chaos.

Shankar, an entrepreneur, says, “Residing on Old Madras Road is nothing
less than a daily nightmare. The pollution levels have increased over the years.
The Metro work from the Byappanahalli station to Whitefield, which will
start now, will only add to the difficulties.”

The Old Madras Road is a critical link between the City, the IT hub in Whitefield and beyond. People who commute on this road, describe their journey as more stressful than their work itself.

Karuna, a professional, says that there have been many times when she was required to log into work on the way itself. “However early I leave home, I end up reaching at least an hour late to work. Driving to work and home can get so stressful. By the time I reach home, I won’t have any time for my personal life. But we can’t avoid the road,” she adds.

Things are going to be difficult when the work for Metro phase two starts as there is no alternate route to get to Whitefield. “I don’t know why the officials don’t see all these things before starting something new,” says Karuna.