At a time when the road was widened to six lane, the fatalities shot up to 81 in 2006 with the majority of the victims being pedestrians
The nine-kilometre Hosur Road Elevated Expressway appears to have considerably reduced fatalities on this trunk road, down from 81 in 2006 to 20 in 2011 and 11 till July 2012. Since its opening in January 2010, the elevated road caters to vehicles moving to Electronic City and beyond, while the road beneath caters to traffic in and around Bommanahalli and Kudlu Gate.
At a time when the road was widened to six lane, the fatalities shot up to 81 in 2006 with the majority of the victims being pedestrians. The number reduced to 69 in 2007 and then to 31 in 2008, as the speed of vehicles reduced due to construction of the elevated road, and to 27 in 2009. After the elevated road was opened for traffic in 2010, there were only 19 road fatalities in that year.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. Abdulla Saleem told The Hindu that the reduction in road fatalities could definitely be attributed to the elevated road. While no fatalities were reported on the elevated road since its opening, the road beneath continues to witness fatalities, a majority of whom are pedestrians, he said.
Personnel manning the toll booths at Bangalore Elevated Tollway Ltd. said about 20,000 four wheelers and 5,000 two-wheelers use the elevated road every day. The four-lane expressway was built by a consortium of Soma Enterprises, NCC Ltd. and Maytas Infra on build, operate and transfer basis for the National Highway Authority of India and was opened on January 22, 2010.
Close monitoring
While the elevated road offers unhindered movement for vehicles, close watch kept by the traffic police has been aiding prevention of fatal accidents, according to Madiwala Traffic Police Inspector Lakshmi Narayan. More than half of the elevated road comes under his jurisdiction.
He said that there were three non-fatal accidents in 2010, one in 2011 and none so far in 2012. He said that the reduced speed limit, to 60 kmph from 80 kmph and surveillance through closed circuit television cameras were the reason for near-nil accidents on the elevated road.
Different situation
What makes the elevated road different from the Hosur Road that runs below is that the expressway is an isolated road that is only accessible to vehicles.
Mr. Saleem said that pedestrians have been the victims as they haphazardly cross the road beneath; at times crossing the road through the median. Absence of any safe road crossing mechanism on the stretch too has to be blamed, he added.
There are no pedestrian underpasses nor there are foot-over-bridges. Bangalore District Deputy Superintendent of Police Kumaraswamy too expressed similar views, as the last portion of the elevated road comes under the district police.
In the absence of foot-over-bridges or subways, pedestrians should cross the road beneath at the designated pedestrian crossing zones, Mr. Saleem said.
You know what ? The tool raised at its high in 2006 2007 because of this
elevated road construction. During the construction, they use to put all
construction related materials on road made it to raise the toll all
time high.
There have been many fatalities on the flyover. A doctor from Narayana
Hridayala had been killed by a speeding vehicle more than a year ago.
Accidents on the Hosur Road below have much to do with pedestrian
indiscipline as well. I have not seen anyone using the subways. They all
jump on to the road at the nearest gap they can find. Pedestrians should
learn to value their lives more than the few minutes saved by not taking
the subway.
The Elevated Toll expressway is really of great relief but to be safe on road, we have to pay considerable amount each day. Now the toll tax has also been revised and increased drastically.
Its really a pity to pay income tax for development of India, pay professional tax to state for upkeep and development of facilities and at the same time pay almost thrice the professional tax in the form of Toll tax to reach office safely.
The stats only show cases registered with police. I am a daily commuter on this road strip to Electronic City. I have witnessed how police work in this zone for which Mr M. Abdulla Saleem and Mr Lakhmi Narayan are taking credit of. Few drivers are always in haste and never follow traffic signals. 10 seconds of time provided for pedestrians to cross the road is never respected and vehicles start off 5-10 secs before the signal gets green. Police are only seen at places taking bribe from truck drivers and bikers without helmet etc. They have no care for pedestrians at all.
I am a biker and have met an accident which injured my right arm and I had to take rest for next 2 days. It was just coz a restless biker attempted to promptly cross the road even when he wasn't signaled for. He crashed directly on to me. He wasn't even wearing a helmet and since I wasn't a localite, they started scolding me and asked me to pay for his damage. That time police was nowhere in the scene either
fatalities have come down because there are no pedestrians on the elevated highway. The elevated highway is a boon to the vehicles, but what about the pedestrians who are left to cross 'haphazardly' in the absence of proper walking lanes, underpassages and a culture of respecting pedestrians. Road planners should also address the concerns of pedestrians and bicycle users.
I was surprised to see the width of the "Express Highway" to be that of a by-road. With lacs of cars coming on the road everyday, will that width be enough for next 10yrs ??
I am a software engineer working at Robert Bosch, Bommanahalli and I
walk the stretch from Bommanahalli bus stand till my office everyday,
a stretch of about 450 meters along the Hosur road. There are 2
options, either to walk along the highway underneath or along the
service road. And neither of them are safe.
In the past 2 years, two times it has happened that vehicles brushed
me while I was walking along the service road. These vehicles travel
at speeds of 60-80 kms on the service road since they try to avoid the
traffic signals on the main road at Bommanahalli, GarebhaviPalya and
Kudlu junctions. There are no footpaths on the service road either.
Garbage dumped along the edges of the service road make it worse for
pedestrians. At silk board junction, there is no arrangement for
pedestrians to cross the roads at all.
It might have become safer than earlier but as someone who uses the
road on a daily basis, I am never sure if I will return home safely.
“Elevated toll expressway brings down fatalities on Hosur Road”
I would appreciate if your reports can visit and study the traffic at the following junctions between 8.30 to 9.30 am and again at 5 to 7.30 pm to realize the disorder.
• Bommanahalli cross (Mangammapalayam).
• Kudlu gate.
• Hosa Road
• Electronic city signal at the nice road.
We have a large section of the population in this country that can only afford walking as the mode of transport. Our policy makers and planners never realize this and make convenience only to the vehicle traffic. Most of the vehicle owners/drivers have lost the basic courtesy to the pedestrians.
If the basic necessary traffic conditions are in place and if one can study the plight of Pedestrians in morning and evening hours and understand the reason why they cross haphazardly a safe solution could be put in place and the death toll could be even much less.
The Statistics for 2012 reflects only status until July/Early Aug 2012. We need to wait for another 5 months, to check if the fatalities is actually reduced.
In 2011(for 12 months) it is 138, which is exactly half the count(69) of statitistics for 2012 until July/Early Aug....5 more months would reveal the true picture
Wonder what is a realistic number for fatalities ?! having 11 dead in 8 months of this
year itself is a shameful fact. 6 years on, people still die ? thats not something to be
proud of.
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