How often have you got stuck at a traffic signal, waiting to take a free left turn in the city? Frequently, right?
Well, you are not alone. Hundreds of motorists face the harrowing experience every day — at Malaparamba, Eranhipalam, Thondayad Junction, and Ramanattukara Junction.
All these busy spots have signboards directing vehicles to make way for those turning left. But none, especially private buses, lorries, and tankers, obeys the rule, causing traffic snarls even during non-peak hours.
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“Motorists find it tough to cross the signal even on the recently widened Karaparamba-Eranhipalam road, though it a straight stretch. Instead of queuing up on the right lane, vehicles squeeze into the left lane, thus blocking the free left turn,” said P.S. Abdul Gafoor, a motorist. Traffic is haphazard at the junction, as vehicles coming from the Karaparamba side take left to go to the civil station side, while some proceed straight to Arayidathupalam along the mini bypass or turn right to the East Nadakkavu side.
Incidentally, the free left turn gets blocked for vehicles proceeding from Arayidathupalam to East Nadakkavu and at times from East Nadakkavu to Karaparamba. Similar is the case with those coming from the civil station side to Arayidathupalam. At Malaparamba Junction, the problem is much larger, forcing motorists to queue up behind vehicles proceeding straight towards Thondayad on the Kozhikode bypass. “Traffic flow is so much disrupted that even two-wheelers cannot take the free left turn,” said Ajay Balakrishnan, another motorist.
Vehicles moving straight to the Ramanattukara side or intending to turn right to the civil station side usually occupy the entire road at Malaparamba Junction when the red signal is on. Thus vehicles, which have to turn left towards Vellimadukunnu, get trapped behind other vehicles.
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During peak hours, the queue stretches from Parappady to IQRAA Hospital on Wayanad Road (National Highway 212).
Taking a free left is almost impossible from Malaparamba Junction towards Vengeri side on the Kozhikode bypass until the signal turns green, he added.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic - North) P.K. Raju attributed the problems facing motorists taking free left turn to the narrow space at junctions and indiscipline. Land has been acquired for widening the Kozhikode bypass, he said.
“However, a permanent solution is suitably designing the road to enable motorists to take free left turn at all junctions. For the time being, the timing of signals has been revised for peak hours to ease traffic issues, ” Mr. Raju added.