Help cops manage traffic, DyCM tells IT firms

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan on Saturday pitched for a decongestion model where software and technology companies can lend their security personnel to double up as traffic managers.

Ashwath Narayan, who holds charge of IT&BT department, held talks on Bengaluru development with various stakeholders, including Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Manipal Global Education Chairman T V Mohandas Pai, Janaagraha founders Swati and Ramesh Ramanathan, urban expert R K Misra and others.

Narayan was flagged with concerns on how traffic congestion in the city was coming in the way of productivity of IT companies.

Apparently, Narayan proposed an idea where IT companies can deploy their security personnel to help manage traffic in the city’s technology corridors of Whitefield, Electronics City and Sarjapur, as the traffic police already had too much on their plate. The security personnel deployed by the companies will be supervised by jurisdictional deputy police commissioners in charge of traffic.

Narayan was also urged to look into traffic congestion at the Hebbal flyover, delay in Metro construction and the need for a dedicated bus lane on arterial roads such as the Old Madras Road.

The deputy CM is expected to discuss all of this with the Bengaluru police and other stakeholders on September 4.

Narayan told reporters later that several concerns were raised in the meeting on the city’s infrastructure and traffic. “All concerns will be addressed after discussing with the chief minister,” he said. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa holds the Bengaluru City Development portfolio.

Narayan said the government would assess the feasibility of various suggestions that were made during the meeting. “Suggestions included plying 10,000 electric buses, expediting the sub-urban rail project and expanding the metro rail network,” he said.