During peak hours, around 130 vehicles pass through this junction every minute, noted an official from Byatarayanapura Traffic Police Station explaining the problems at KSRTC junction on Mysuru Road. This is one of the four points identified on Mysuru Road as accident black spots by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP).
The up-and-down ramp at BB junction, a 600-metre stretch from AS Char Street to Jamia Masjid on the BGS flyover, and Nayandahalli junction, are three other identified black spots. A total of 55 accidents, including 19 fatal ones, have occurred at these four points on Mysuru Road in the last three years (2020 to 2022). Starting from Town Hall in the middle of the city, it is one of the busiest roads in Bengaluru. The highway also sees a lot of heavy motor vehicles and bus movement every day.
The 600-metre stretch on the BGS flyover and BB junction share similar problems. The ramps of the flyover on both sides are the primary causes of accidents there, according to the local traffic police. Speeding vehicles, which come from both sides, often lose control after climbing down or up the ramps. They also said that pedestrians crossing the roads at undesignated spots, including on the flyover, results in fatal accidents.
Naveen, a business owner near BB junction, noted that motorists coming down from the flyover towards the junction and taking a right turn towards Mohinpura road, which leads to residential areas, is the problem at the junction. “Motorists on the other side, who are on their way to climb the flyover, would have to abruptly stop their vehicles and if pedestrians or any slow-moving vehicles get in the way, it leads to accidents,” he said.
Traffic at Nayandahalli Outer Ring Road junction on Mysuru road. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
A slew of measures, including CCTV installation and centre median grill installation, high-rise pedestrian crossing near BB junction, road marking and cat eye installation on the flyover have been suggested by the traffic police to avoid accidents at these spots. At least two fatal accidents have been reported at both spots in recent months, including two pedestrian fatalities.
Further down the highway, the installation of a high-rise pedestrian crossing (HRPC) has proven to be effective as there have not been any fatal accidents at the KSRTC junction in the last eight months against four fatal accidents which occurred at the spot in 2022. The police and the public agree that the 800 buses, which ply from the BMTC and KSRTC bus stands everyday, are a non-negligible part of the traffic woes at the junction. Many private buses also pass through the junction.
“There is a slope right after the signal as the vehicles move forward. As they approach the bus stand, they sometimes collide with the buses which suddenly enter the road or stop at undesignated spots to pick passengers. This problem needs to be addressed to avoid accidents,” observed Anantha, a regular commuter on the route.
The Nayandahalli junction has had the highest number of fatal accidents (7) among the four black spots in the last three years. An official from the Byatarayanapura Traffic Police Station said: “This is a complex structure with the junction below and the Outer Ring Road and Purple line metro above it. The four roads leading to the junction have downward inclination which leads to overspeeding, especially of two-wheelers.”
He further said: “The junction also sees the movement of huge trucks. Two-wheelers, often ridden by minors without licence, and others who refuse to follow lane discipline get in the way of these trucks and buses resulting in accidents.”
With the complexities involved in the junction, it is difficult to come up with comprehensive solutions for the junction, a BTP official remarked. However, for now, putting up accident boards and blinkers has been suggested for the junction.
