One-way system draws flak from citizens

By B.S.Ramesh

BANGALORE, SEPT. 4. Motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, and bus commuters opposed the one-way system when it was introduced in the City recently.

While the motorists bemoaned that they had to commute in a round- about manner, and burn extra fuel to reach their destinations, the bus commuters were unhappy that they could not board buses and alight from them at the same bus stop.

The one-way system drew flak from the motorists, who wanted to know the rationale behind making 12 major roads, including Nruputunga Road, Post Office Road, Kempe Gowda Road and parts of Kasturba Road, one-ways.

The Bangalore City Traffic Police said the new system had been introduced to ease traffic congestion. While the police and civic authorities had taken steps to make the one-way system a success by painting signs, installing traffic lights, marking roads, no attention seems to have been paid to the plight of pedestrians. A pedestrian could cross a two-way road easily. But with the introduction of the one-way system, crossing Vittal Mallya Road, Nruputunga Road, Kempe Gowda Road, Old Post Office Road has become difficult.

The introduction of one-way system has led to over-speeding by some motorists, endangering the lives of other vehicle users and pedestrians. Badly laid footpaths in some areas where the one-way system had been introduced added to the problems of pedestrians. Trenches dug up on footpaths to lay optical fibre cables have not been closed properly. Besides, footpaths on Nruputunga Road and Lavelle Road have been removed to widen the roads. In the case of Lalbagh Road, which connects Double Road with Richmond Circle, footpaths on either side have become small after the Richmond Circle flyover was built.

Similarly, there is no footpath on Commercial Street and pedestrians are forced to walk on the road. Encroachment of footpaths on busy roads have become a common feature. In areas such as Majestic, Gandhinagar, Jayanagar, City Market, Malleswaram, Seshadripuram and Shivajinagar, footpaths have been taken over by vendors.

In areas such as Jayanagar 4th Block, footpaths have become places for people to stand and eat, thereby obstructing movement of pedestrians. The Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has installed huge transformers on footpaths, causing inconvenience to pedestrians. On J.C.Road and Lalbagh Road from Siddaiah Circle to Subbaiah Circle, there are few pedestrian crossings. With both being one-ways, traffic is heavy on them.

Officials of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and Traffic Police Department said steps had been taken to relay roads and footpaths under the Municipal Bond Scheme. Besides, a sub-way was under construction to help pedestrians cross over from Sangam cinema side to the bus stand at Majestic. A subway had been constructed to facilitate easy movement of pedestrians to the Shivajinagar Bus Stand. The subway from the City Railway Station to the Majestic Bus Stand was being utilised well by the people, they said.

Steps would be taken to mark pedestrian crossings once the one- way system stabilised, they added.

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