Blatant violation of traffic rules on Tumakuru roads

One-ways turn into hotspots for road accidents

Traffic management in the city is turning out to be a nightmare. Flouting traffic rules has become commonplace with erratic driving, road accidents and jumping traffic signals occurring daily.

These are most commonly seen on one-way roads. People ride or drive as if it is an accomplishment to flout traffic rules. Most people turn a blind eye to the ‘one-way’ signs on the roads for they are too lazy to take a longer route or cite the mild traffic as an excuse to do so.

MG Road, Swatantra Circle, Mandipet, BH Road are major areas with ‘one-way’ roads and one can see traffic regulations being ignored here daily.

Numerous accidents keep taking place near the Shivakumara Swamy Circle. Buses, cars, autorickshaws and two-wheelers all jump the traffic signal near the circle which is a junction of 5 roads.

Though a traffic policeman is stationed there, traffic management is a very difficult task. Crossing the circle in the night is a challenge for a large stream of vehicles keep driving past the circle. Many of them are found to ram the road dividers or electric poles.

“A barricade should be erected in the  middle of the road and speed breakers should be put in. The presence of traffic policemen should also increase at the spot,” insist the local residents.

MG Road is another street where the traffic density is high. People come onto this road from other small, service roads as well. Since it is a one-way street, flouting of traffic norms is of a regular occurrence. Even in the midst of all the traffic, the policemen are seen chasing down violators and imposing fines on them. This, however, has not dissuaded people from driving or riding in the wrong direction and accidents keep occurring.

This is not the only spot in the city where such scenes are common. BH Road, Bus Stand road, SS Puram, Kunigal Road, Gubbi Road, Mandipet and Sira Gate also are places where accidents occur.

If the public do not wake up to the dangers of flouting traffic norms and the police do not take strict measures to check such misdemeanours, it will pave the way for more accidents and loss of lives, opined the residents.