Traffic on Kuloor new bridge eases

Owing to revised guidelines on the movement of six-tyre goods carriers, issued by Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner, the traffic congestion at Kuloor new bridge eased on Wednesday.

A total of 20 traffic police have been deployed to manage the traffic at Kuloor.

The police personnel will work in shifts.

Police personnel have been standing on both sides of the bridge to manage the traffic. They have also been deployed to manage the traffic from Baikampady and Tannirbhavi route.

The movement of vehicles on Kuloor old arch bridge, across Phalguni River (Gurupura) in Kuloor was closed for vehicles on Tuesday.

Close on the heels of the closure of Kuloor old bridge, heavy traffic congestion was witnessed throughout the day on the stretch between Panambur and Bengre Kuloor on NH 66 on Tuesday.

Two-way traffic was introduced on the Kuloor new bridge for hassle-free movement of light vehicles, buses and six-tyre goods carriers.

Since morning, traffic was thrown out of gear, causing inconveniences to people, in particular to those travelling to work. With the stretch being chock-a-block with traffic, vehicles remained stranded on the road for over an hour.

Owing to the traffic jam on Tuesday, vehicles from Mangaluru plying towards Udupi and those plying to Mangaluru from Udupi moved at a snail’s pace.

“I was caught in the traffic near Kuloor for nearly 40 minutes,” fumed a motorist who regularly commutes between Surathkal and Mangaluru.

Owing to the traffic gridlock, a priest from Mukka could not reach my house near Urwa Marigudi on time and initiate puja rituals at the auspicious hour, a resident, Prashanth, rued.

As the old arch bridge at Kuloor was in a dilapidated condition, the Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner in her order had prohibited the movement of vehicles on the bridge under Motor Vehicles Act 1988 Section 115 and Section 221 A(5) of Rules of Motor Vehicles Act 1989, based on the recommendations of NHAI project director.

Acting on the complaints of the traffic log jam, Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh prohibited the movement of all six-tyre goods carriers from Udupi to Mangaluru and Mangaluru to Udupi on the new Kuloor bridge from 8 am to 9 pm.