Home Minister K.J. George on Friday said a handbook on traffic problems and suggestions to overcome it has been circulated among the city’s civic agencies — the Bangalore Development Authority, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the Bangalore Traffic Police — with an instruction to prepare an action taken report within 45 days.
Speaking to presspersons here, he said the government has chalked out short and long-term measures to tackle traffic bottlenecks in the city.
Palace Grounds
On the issue of traffic congestion around Palace Grounds, he said functions held at the venue result in traffic jams on Bellary Road. To tackle the congestion here, it has been proposed to make the entry point from Palace Road and exit point at Jayamahal Road near the Doordarshan TV tower.
Improving interior roads at the exit point is also necessary, he said. “I will request Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath not to give permission for holding functions inside the Palace Grounds without developing the interior roads. Nearly 600 trees have to be axed to take up widening of the existing road,” he said. The government needs to obtain permission from the Supreme Court to fell the trees.
The BDA has been asked to provide a grade separator at Hudson Circle, a flyover at Silk Board junction and an extra loop at K.R. Puram to do away with traffic problems. The BBMP authorities have promised to take up pothole filling on all roads after the rainy season.
Monorail only option
He said introducing monorail as feeder services to metro rail is the only option to make Bangalore City free of traffic problems. “I will ask Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take up the project on a priority,” he said. “Citizens will stop using private vehicles if monorail is introduced.”
To a question on frequent breakdown of BMTC buses and parking of private vehicles on both sides of busy roads across the city, Mr. George said traffic police have been attending such problems but the police can not be blamed for everything.
