JOIN USWhen the dedicated police station for traffic was opened at Nanjangud, many were hoping that the policemen will streamline vehicular traffic that was at its nadir. Six months have elapsed, but, the hopes remain with glaring violations being the order of the day.
Initially, the traffic police personnel had kindled hopes among the people, promising to introduce one-way from Nehru Circle towards the old police station, clearing footpath vendors to facilitate pedestrian movement and also push cart vendors to enable smooth traffic flow.
Apart from the local populace and increasing two-wheeler density, the famous Srikanteshwara Swamy temple that attracts tourists in hordes add to the burgeoning traffic woes here. Taking cognisance of the same, the long-pending demand for a separate wing to man traffic was realised, with the town, also being a part of the Nanjangud Assembly constituency represented by Revenue and District in-charge Minister V Srinivas Prasad. Still, the problem remains at square one.
The footpath on the Bazaar Street is still encroached upon by shopkeepers, forcing the devotees, especially those who alight at the nearby railway station, to tread on the road till the temple. Similar is the scene at the railway underpass as footpath vendors dot the stretch.
Private bus operators blatantly violate the High Court order against parking the buses within a radius of 200 metres from the KSRTC bus stands. Private buses occupy most part of the already congested road in front of the KSRTC bus stand, inconveniencing vehicular users. Interestingly, the general public face the wrath of the policemen for violating traffic rules at the same stretch. Recently, owing to the haphazard parking of vehicles, especially two-wheelers in front of a bank, a pedestrian took to the road, only to be mowed down by a bus.
When it comes to traffic rules, it is least said the better with triple riding being a common scene. Vehicles sans number plates are also common here, while 400-odd autorickshaw operators swindle the passengers, especially tourists, by charging fares according to their whims and fancies, in the absence of scientific fares. Whenever tourists complain to the local police, they pass the buck on the regional transport authorities in Mysuru.
Vijay Kumar, a Right to Information (RTI) activist alleged that violations are at its peak during pre-dawn and post dusk period, with private transport operators carrying excess passengers in violation of the rules.
The vehicles lack fitness certificate (FC) to match the drivers without licences, yet the police turn a blind-eye towards them, Kumar alleged.