Bengaluru residents are already distraught with traffic issues and broken roads. To top it all, in every monsoon, the pedestrians have to watch their feet every time they move on the road in the fear of getting them inside a pothole.
And who knows about this plight of pedestrians better than the traffic police department staff who are a witness to the struggle of these people?
This time along the Bengaluru City Traffic Police after studying the movement of vehicles on the roads have come up with a few suggestions emphasizing on the need to upgrade existing facilities and infrastructure before the monsoon.
Report Emphasize On Infrastructure Upgrade For Pedestrians
The traffic police report recommends:
- Construction of 86 skywalks or foot overbridges, 221 pedestrian crossings, 34 pedestrian underpasses,
- Junction improvement work at 478 places,
- Upgrade of 213 pedestrian crossings,
- Relocating 76 transformers and 97 electricity poles,
- Checking out 45 locations that are prone to waterlog,
- Rectifying work at 47 spots prone to accident,
- Shifting 9 busy bays,
- Installation of streetlights at 105 locations
The recommendations also include constructing road humps at 207 locations, scientific remodeling of road humps at 131 places, and their removal at 7 places, the building of raised, high pedestrian crossings at 219 locations as well as clearing of spill-over garbage at 52 places.
The Bengaluru city traffic police recommendations also suggest completing the civil works pending at 292 locations.
Pedestrian Safety Is Foremost, Says Harishekaran
According to P. Harishekaran, the additional commissioner of police (traffic), the report puts the safety of pedestrians at the front. He said, “With the rainy season fast approaching, pre-monsoon works are needed for effective traffic regulation. We’ve conducted an extensive study on traffic across the city and come up with these solutions.” The traffic police officers have already sent the copies of the report to concerned government officials.
On the question, whether the additional road humps will contribute towards slowing down of the traffic, Harishekaran said, “Many humps in the city have been built in an unscientific manner, without following standards set by the Indian Road Congress (IRC). These will be restructured. Having more road humps will not only arrest speed and increase the safety of motorists but also ensure the safety of pedestrians.”
Bescom Gearing Up To Start Pre-Monsoon Upgrade
Bescom is gearing up to begin its pre-monsoon works across Bengaluru. It will soon begin refurbishing transformer centers, trimming trees, roping in the additional workforce for hearing complaints, stocking up on essential spares, and dealing with the emergency maintenance work.
According to the Bescom executive engineer, and in-charge general manager, customer relation, Murthy B, “A pre-monsoon action plan was approved at a recent meeting. As per that, we will carry out tree-trimming work across the city, straighten bent poles and replace them wherever necessary, check all the joints in the network prone to loose connections, inspect transformer centers and stock up on essential equipment which may be needed for emergency repair work during monsoon.”
