New plan on the anvil to ease traffic in Shivamogga

With the objective of ensuring hassle-free vehicular movement within the city limits, the Shimoga City Corporation and the police have jointly drawn up an Integrated Traffic Junction Improvement Plan.

Under the plan, surveillance cameras and signal lights will be installed in places that have heavy traffic.

It has also been planned to improve 18 main junctions in the city. According to a preliminary estimate, the work is estimated to cost Rs. 20 crore. The funds provided for the city corporation under the third phase of the Chief Minister’s Small and Medium Towns Development Project will be used for the purpose.

As per the project, surveillance cameras will be installed at 100 places within the city limits. In addition to places that have heavy vehicular movement, cameras will be installed near religious places and commercial areas to prevent crime. Rs. 1.5 crore has been earmarked for the purpose.

According to sources, the work of installation of surveillance cameras may be handed over to the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd., a State-owned enterprise. The work is likely to be completed in three years.

The city corporation will also upgrade 18 traffic junctions, including Ashoka Circle, Amir Ahmed Circle, I.B. Circle, M.R.S. Circle, Shankar Math Circle, Sangolli Rayanna Circle, Shivamurthy Circle, Shantaveri Gopala Gowda Circle, Gopala Circle, Police Chowki in Vinobha Nagar, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Circle, Gopi Circle.

A.R. Ravi, Commissioner of Shimoga City Corporation, told The Hindu that the State government has already given its nod for the project. The tenders for the work would be floated soon, he said.