'Accidents on rise between Mekhri Circle, KIA expressway'

There has been a considerable rise in the number of accidents on the road between Mekhri Circle and Kempegowda International Airport in the last three years. At least 57 accident cases have been reported in the last two months alone, Home Minister K J George said.

Replying to BJP's C N Ashwathnarayan in the Assembly, George said that 387 accidents were reported in 2014 against 284 accidents in 2013. This has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of deaths due to accidents on the stretch, he added.
According to statistics, in the last two months, as many as 834 accidents have occurred and 113 people have lost their lives. In 2014, 5,004 accidents and 729 deaths were reported, while 5,230 accidents and 771 deaths were reported in 2013.

Minister admits to lapse

George admitted that the government has not given priority to the safety of pedestrians. “There should have been more skywalks and pedestrian subways in the City. The government will take appropriate steps to ensure safety of pedestrians in the coming days,” he added.

Earlier, Ashwathnarayan said that the government had failed to ensure safety of pedestrians. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been announcing a number of signal-free corridors but nothing has been planned yet for pedestrians. Majority of those who die in road accidents in Bengaluru are pedestrians, he added.
Signal-free corridor

To a question by BJP’s S Suresh Kumar on the status of a proposal to convert West of Chord Road into a signal-free corridor, George said that the BBMP is in the process of finalising tenders for the construction of the flyover at four traffic junctions – Rajajinagar Block I, Manjunathnagar Main Road, Shivanagar 1st Main Road and Basaveshwaranagar Main Road.

West of Chord Road will be declared signal-free after the construction of these flyovers, he added. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, in a written reply to S N Subbareddy (Independent), said that the Columbia Asia Hospital has come forward to construct a skywalk across Ballari Road near the Hebbal Flyover. The BBMP will soon sign a memorandum of agreement with the hospital in this regard, he added.

The expressway to KIA has of late become notorious for road accidents. Recently, a college student was mowed down by a speeding vehicle near Esteem Mall. Hundreds of students had staged protests demanding the construction of a skywalk across Ballari Road near Esteem Mall.