Commute

As is widely experienced by Bangaloreans, malls, high rises and tech parks are now congestion hotspots around the city. A recent update at the Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP)'s Facebook page talks about traffic congestion at Nagavara junction in north Bangalore. Traffic at the junction is four times the capacity during peak hours; BTP attributes this to the nearly 10,000 vehicles that go to and from Manyata Tech Park for two hours every morning and evening.Citizen Matters has found out that the city's sanction process for malls and similar complexes is at the root of the rapidly worsening problem. Traffic management…

It was a tense few hours for residents of Malleshwaram on 29th June.   Some 25 residents including activist Meenakshi Bharath had gathered near Sankey Tank at 11 am to prevent the auction of trees that were to be felled by the BBMP for widening of Sankey Road.  Tree officer and Assistant Conservator of Forests, Venkateshappa had come with other BBMP officials to initiate the auction. Protestors in a heated argument with Tree Officer Venkateshappa. Pic: Yogaraj Mudalgi. Anticipating trouble, personnel from Karnataka State Police (KSP) were present at the venue. Vinay Sreenivasa of the city's green network Hasiru Usiru requested…

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will introduce feeder services under the name of 'Big Connect'. The service is based on the directive issued by the High Court of Karnataka and will be effective on 19 routes across Bengaluru from 26th June 2011. Services for two more routes will be announced after BWSSB has finished laying of pipelines. The service hopes to improve bus connectivity in outer areas of Bangalore. 'Big Connect' Feeder routes. Source: BMTC. (Click to enlarge) The press release issued by BMTC says that the department will assess the performance of all the routes for a period…

Two months after Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) started its page in Facebook, it has about 3,800 'likes'. In this interview with Citizen Matters, Praveen Sood, ACP, Bangalore Traffic, talks about the idea behind the initiative, how it has turned out and further expectations.What was the original idea behind starting the BTP page?Our main intention is to educate and sensitise public about traffic rules and create a forum for discussion. We also get lot of feedback which we would not get otherwise - like, when a signal is not working. This forum is not just a shoulder to cry on or…

God's own country, from where I hail from had glorified the three wheeler and the men at its helm in a blockbuster movie by the title "Aye Auto". Not that the auto-wallahs out there went out of the way to hail the glorified status adorned to them. But they were far more endearing than the auto-drivers who rule the Bangalore roads.My angst against the steerers of the three wheel wonder was lying like a dormant volcano ready to errupt at the slightest disturbance. The volcano had a verbal breakout last weekend during my weekend trip to the Total Mall adjoining…

Confusion prevails among Bannerghatta road residents, after BBMP announced its road widening plans. Though notices were issued to many occupants along the road last year and markings made on walls, no work was undertaken due to compensation-related issues. Constructions galore BBMP plans to widen the 7.4 km stretch between JD Mara junction (where JP Nagar ORR intersects Bannerghatta road) to Koli Farm Gate after NICE ring road. According to BBMP's Major Roads department, the road will be widened from the existing 25-30 m to 45 m. Project is estimated to cost Rs 250-300 cr. Widening will start at Jedimara junction,…

It was a regular working day and I was on my way home on my scooter from college after a session of corrections of end of term answer scripts. The traffic lights were red at the Lifestyle junction and I waited till they turned green before I rode onto Richmond Road. As I took the turn I noticed a large pile up of traffic before me stretching backwards to the Sapphire Toy Shop. So riding up fairly slowly I came to a halt behind a large black car. Barely had I put my feet down and left my grip on…

This is one question that arises in the mind of commuters travelling from BTM Layout via Maruti Nagar to Koramangala. For the last six months, BWSSB had made a mess of Thaverekere 1st Main Road. Now the vehicles coming from Forum to BTM Udupi garden are diverted via Maruti nagar. Due to this, traffic have increased during peak hours. Now commuters have to choose an alternate road to save time and avoid traffic in Maruti Nagar road.Recently Maruti Nagar Road had a traffic jam; adding more trouble to commuters were some private property owners who have left construction materials such…

To bring about more awareness about traffic rules and make Bangalore city more traffic friendly, Outer Ring Roads Association (ORRCA), an association of IT and ITES in the city companies is planning to observe 9th of every month as ‘Traffic Day’ beginning this June.  ORRCA is urging citizens of Bangalore to enlist as volunteers and stand at major road junctions where they manage traffic, the ‘Munnabhai’ way. What you can do as a volunteerAs a volunteer, if you find anyone violating traffic rules such as, criss-crossing on road, triple riding, using mobile phones while riding or driving, please stop him…

After Anna Hazare's Bengaluru event on Saturday, 28th May night, I was returning home from Art of Living with a friend. It was around 11pm. From Kanakapura Road we took left at Gubbalala cross (the road connects Kanakapura Road with Avalahalli in southwest Bengaluru) we encountered a damaged man hole and we both fell down from the scooter. The death spot on Gubbalala cross. Pic: Anand Yadawad. Luckily not much injury, but still it cost more over Rs.500 for hospital expenses, the scooter had scratches and our clothes were torn. My fingers were swollen and I couldn't work on computer…