Recently, there was a traffic snarl for over 45 minutes near Maddilapalem and it was due to the breakdown of an autorickshaw and an RTC bus. According to the traffic police, the root cause of all traffic jam is undisciplined driving by autorickshaws and RTC buses.
In the city there were about 20,000 autorickshaws and a majority of them do not follow traffic rules and parking norms, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K. Mahendra Patrudu. Overtaking from the wrong side was rampant and they park and stop wherever they want, he pointed out.
It is learnt that the Traffic Department has requested the road transport authorities to stop registration of new autorickshaws. “Further registration has to be cut down drastically or the RTA authorities have to make sure that they do not give the permit to ply on the main roads. Their movement can be limited to within the colony,” said the ADCP.
Major concern Another major concern is the RTC buses. Going by the slogan that a bus should stop, the moment someone standing by the roadside signals it to stop, is creating a problem for the traffic police. “The idea is noble, but it can be implemented in the rural areas and not in the city limits,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) L. Arjun. Moreover, most of the RTC buses were old and breakdown in the middle of the road has been a perennial problem, he added.
With regard to the steps taken to better the flow of traffic, Mr. Mahendra Patrudu said new road designs were implemented on trial basis at NAD Kotha Road, Asilmetta, Maddilapalem, Siripuram, Muralinagar junction, Venkojipalem, and Jagadamba junction. “The unfinished BRTS Road is also a bottleneck,” said the ADCP.
On new signal lights, he informed The Hindu that 24 more were being planned to the existing 94. The Traffic Department was also mulling to add CC cameras to the 94 signals. The department was short by at least 600 men and the CC network would assist the staff for better policing. “There are about 320 junctions in the city and our staff strength is just 500,” said a traffic inspector.
