There are ways, will is missing!

Viable options

The city’s traffic police has drawn up several initiatives to regulate and control the burgeoning traffic in the City but their efforts seem to have borne no fruit.

Violations continue, traffics jams are longer and the so-called developmental works such as namma Metro only add to the problem.  

Signal-free flyovers were conceived to ease the flow of traffic. But here flyovers are clogged and signals add to the jam. Will Bangaloreans be bailed out of endless traffic jams and disappearing green space?

Metrolife interacted with a few youngsters in the City who have strong opinions and a few viable solutions up their sleeve.   

The young believe that flyovers are no solution to ease traffic in the City. “The flyovers stand as witness to the warped planning and they simply add to the pile up of traffic. More flyovers interfere with the the tree line. More trees have to be chopped off. It would be better if the authorities don’t plan anymore flyovers,” says Aditya, a commerce graduate.

Road-users must adhere to basic traffic rules. There must be some semblance of discipline on the road. “There is an urgent need to overhaul our traffic behaviour. So much of productive time is lost on the road just waiting in endless traffic jams.

People don’t follow lane discipline. Most bus bays are located at the beginning of signals and turns, making it difficult to negotiate the roads. Reckless two-wheeler riders must be caught and fined,” says Mallika, a resident of Basavanagudi. “But to enforce the same, the traffic police should be equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The government should modernise traffic personnel,” she adds.

Mamoo Nasim of City College sees a solution in widening of the roads. “The narrow roads add to the traffic woes. Illegal buildings must be pulled down and made way for some road widening. In most cases, the roads are being encroached by these illegal constructions. If the BBMP evacuates encroachers, the commuters will benefit,” he says.

Rajahamsa, an engineer suggests levying higher charges on second vehicle ownership. “There are families who own more than one car. If a heavy fine is levied on the second vehicle then families will refrain from buying more than one vehicle. Carpooling must be encouraged. The BMTC should increase the fleet of buses to every nook and corner of the City,” he advises.