traffic

Bengaluru is the IT hub of India, and most people here are becoming tech-savvy.  Bengaluru is today a global name, and with the changing stature of the city, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) too is striving to do its best.  Given the widespread use of technology, BTP has decided to use technology to serve citizens better. BTP frequently receives many complaints against auto drivers from the public—refusal to go on hire, demanding excess fare, misbehaving and other issues—through its various communication channels. In order to address citizens’ problems effectively, BTP has designed, developed and launched a mobile application called bSafe…

I think it started inb the year 2000, when autorickshaws of Bangalore, the drivers of which love to add little touches to their vehicles, started adding the number "2000" to the back of their autosM Many autos also like to call themselves "Volvo" or "Innova" to their vehicles, and they would add the engine capacity (1000 cc or something like that) to it.  The two practices got united, and messages such ast "2000 cc", "2001 cc" and so on, and I've seen this go up to "2012 cc", here. I'm looking out for later years!    

It's always nice to see the variety of vehicles in Bangalore, but surely this silve chariot, parked outside the gates of Gayatri Vihar (the new board says Sheesh Mahal...sheesh!) takes the traffic cake!   I suppose it's pulled by whiite horses...and pulls the bridegroom towards his matrimonial adventures....!

One of the results of building flyovers to ease traffic in our city is that the spaces underneath them are often a kind of wasteland. In an effort to address this, Jaaga DNA  the design arm of Jaaga, co-ordinated with Brihat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP) to create art in the spaces under the Hebbal flyover, whereby the common citizen was both represented and asked to participate. BBMP funded the project as part of a drive to clean up the space before the Karnataka global investors meet. The art project with Jaaga(there was an earlier project at Richmond Circle) was initiated…

Recently, the Bangalore Traffic Police made it mandatory for pillion riders to wear helmets. It's been a law, for some years now, for two-wheeler drivers to wear them. Here's a family I snapped...   This was not on any side road, it was on the main highway leading to the airport from the city.  I've had a neurosurgeon neighbour, and two of my surgeon brothers in law, tell me what horrific head injuries can happen when a two-wheeler is involved in an accident. The pillion rider can, in fact, be thrown even further than the driver, and head injuries are…

A screen-grab of the Republic Day Parade 2015. Pic: YouTube The Republic Day 2016 ceremonial parade will be held at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Grounds on Cubbon road on January 26th at 9 am. His Excellency, the Governor of Karnataka will receive the salute. The City Traffic Police has made the following traffic arrangements in and around the area. Parking and entry into Parade Ground Invitees with Yellow Car Passes are requested to come on to Cubbon road and enter Gate No.1 facing the northern side of the parade ground, and park their vehicles on the western side of…

At South End Circle, on Sunday, the 17th of January, 2016, it was heartening to see several volunteers holding placards asking road users not to use their mobiles while driving.  The trouble with our country seems to be that no one thinks an accident could happen to him or her...until it actually happens. And rules, we feel, are for others to follow and for us to flout. The volunteers looked tired, standing in the middle of the road junction in the polluted air. But if even one two-wheeler or four-wheeler driver put down the mobile phone and resolved not to…

The road connecting Kanakpura road and BDA 80 feet ring road has been in a terrible state for years now. It has open manholes and the road is covered with potholes which are potentially fatal in nature. Open manholes dot the road. Pic: VK Srivatsa The pothole-ridden road. Pic: VK Srivatsa There are multiple instances of two-wheeler riders getting injured every day. If they try avoiding a pothole by swerving to the left or right, they could fall into one of the open manholes. And if they try to avoid the manhole, there is a good chance they can break their…

In October 2015, I had written an article on the absence of asphalted roads in Akshayanagar Layout, off Bannerghatta Road.  In the past 2.5 months, much work has happened on the Hulimavu-Begur stretch. The stretch of road, which previously looked like this...  ...has been tarred as seen below here. The entire Hulimavu-Begur road stretch till DLF New Town has been repaired and asphalted. Having said this, the Yelenahalli Road continues to remain a nightmare. (This picture was taken in November 2015) Along with complaints and concerns, it is also essential to highlight the positive action taken by local administration. Hoping…

We recently protested against, and stopped, an illegal meeting by the Bangalore Metro authorities, to ratify cutting trees in Reach 2. However, we can't protest all the time, and I recently found several large trees cut down on Bannerghatta Road. When will this tree-cutting mania stop in our city? Cutting the trees and widening the roads is a double whammy...we remove the beings that cleanse our air, and add motorized vehicles, each of which produces noxious fumes. It's been proved that widening of roads only causes more traffic to jam them in a downward spiral of destruction and pollution. When…