Traffic eases at Bengaluru hotspots

BENGALURU: Harried motorists, who had almost got used to waiting long at traffic signals and stuck in traffic jams, are pleasantly surprised by the smoother traffic flow over the last 10 days. With the traffic police initiating a series of measures, traffic has eased in many of the hotspots, and motorists are relieved with the welcome change.

Bengaluru had gained notoriety for its traffic mess, with citizens almost convinced that there was no solution to the problem in the city. Newly appointed Special Commissioner for Traffic, M A Saleem, has asked officials to enforce the rules strictly and ensure smooth traffic flow.

Traffic police officials monitoring traffic flow on Ballari Road and Hebbal flyover.

During  peak hours from 9 am to 10.30 am, traffic at Hebbal and on Kempgowda International Airport Road has been eased. Earlier, motorists used to take around 18 to 20 minutes to cover the distance from Amrutahalli junction to Hebbal flyover, but now it takes just about eight minutes .

Three major initiatives implemented to ease traffic:

Ban on movement of goods vehicles during peak hours.

Synchronisation of traffic signals.

All traffic police officials are out on the roads and at hotspot to help regulate traffic.

Sachin Ghorpade, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, North Division, Bengaluru city

“Hebbal Junction is one of the major traffic hotspots. It has engineering issues that are not limited to the number of vehicles on the road. We have made some improvements to reduce traffic congestion in the city. The six-lane traffic has been divided in two ways. For the benefit of the office-going crowd, light and heavy goods vehicles are prohibited during peak hours. They can take alternative routes. Traffic police officers are present on the spot every day. We are also synchronising traffic signals and changing the duration during morning and evening”, explained Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, North Division, Sachin Ghorpade.

Rajanna, an autorickshaw driver

“Traffic problems have eased over the past few days. During peak hours, traffic is lighter. The ban on goods vehicles is beneficial for office-goers”, said Rajanna, an autorickshaw driver.