Traffic jams near Baikampady may end soon

Police planning to ban movement of trucks to and from NMPT to prevent traffic jams

MANGALURU : Traffic on busy National Highway near Baikampady gets frequently affected due to criss-crossing of trucks bertween New Mangalore Port and the other side of the highway. PHOTO:H.S.MANJUNATH

Finally, the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) is in the process of installing weigh bridges inside the port premises to avoid frequent criss-crossing of trucks between the port and the other side of the National Highway that resulted in frequent traffic jams.

The Edapally-Panvel National Highway (66) passing through Mangaluru had been witnessing traffic gridlocks as trucks to and from the port crossed the highway at least four times near Baikampady. While the NMPT was expected to offer weigh bridges inside its premises, trucks used to approach two weigh bridges on the other side of the highway. The problem used to be more pronounced during the morning and evening peak hours and get compounded with tardy progress of road over-bridge work on the railway track near Baikampady.

Closure threat

Mangaluru City Police Commissioner R. Hithendra told The Hindu that 500 to 600 trucks crossed the highway at least four times in a day. This criss-crossing had a cascading effect on the smooth movement of the traffic on the busy highway. The Port authorities had been told to get weigh bridges installed inside the premises or get the ones on the other side of the highway shifted into the premises.

If the port authorities did not respond to the requests, the police might be constrained to block movement of trucks to and from the port altogether. Since NMPT is a government authority and blocking movement of trucks would result in a chain of events affecting the port’s functioning, the police were waiting for longer, Mr. Hithendra said.

On the job

In response to a query by The Hindu , NMPT Chairman P.C. Parida said, “We are already taking action to lay a new road and install a Weigh Bridge in the Marshalling Yard. The police should make the national highway between Kulur Bridge and Baikampady Bridge a ‘no parking’ zone. If ‘no parking’ is also enforced on the stretch, there would not be any congestion.”

Mr. Parida further said the Port had taken the decision in its Board meeting held on November 13 after Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim raised the issue. Since then, the NMPT was on the job [of installing weigh bridge], he said.