Limited options in traffic management

There seems to be no relief in sight for residents of many areas in the city that lack metro rail service. Many of these areas have roads so congested that traffic snarls are a regular occurrence.

According to the city traffic police, Metro connectivity is currently available only for less than 40% of the city. “Metro passes only through major corridors of the city. Hence, residents of adjoining areas and interior locations are forced to depend on buses and private vehicles,” a senior IPS officer, who headed Bengaluru City traffic police unit told DH.

“The traffic police noted this limitation and had suggested BMTC feeder services from Metro stations to various destinations,” he says. Expansion of Metro rail service to every part of the city is not technically possible.

Two major challenges that the traffic police identify include feeder services from interior areas to Metro stations to decongest roads and commissioning of flyovers and underpasses.“The traffic police have their own limitations as regards upgrading infrastructure facilities. BBMP and BDA deal with infrastructure and upgrading issues. The police cannot restrict entry of more vehicles, but will have to serve despite the problems,” says R Hithendra, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic.

Though the traffic police have no immediate proposal for commissioning of any new flyovers and underpasses in the city, senior officers point out that BDA and BBMP should identify congested locations and come out with junction improvement schemes.The police will regulate traffic movement with existing infrastructure. “We normally deploy additional manpower and manually control the congestion,” Hithendra says.

However, the police say that they can use powers given to them to ensure temporary relief. The police can restrict the movement of heavy vehicles that often cause jams on certain stretches, and divert them to surrounding roads. The police may even ban the movement of certain types of vehicles during peak hours or introduce one-ways to decongest such locations.

The police also suggest commissioning of monorail service from congested interior areas connecting Metro stations. Some of the most congested roads that lack Metro connectivity include Tannery Road, Sunkadakatte, Bannerghatta Road, Electronics City, Nagarabhavi, Outer Ring Road, Mathikere, Adugodi, BTM  Layout, HSR Layout, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Kamakshipalya, Laggere, Marathalli, Whitefield, K R Puram and Kadugodi.