This is a story about the road traffic in Bangalore. When you were here last month for our Sweetie's Birthday, you would have experienced the terrific traffic. It is chaotic and confusing. This page is designed as if you're travelling in a car,(you have to turn and U turn ) you can see your position on the "Road map" shown on the bottom right of the page. Most of the pictures are shot by me while driving. You "feel" the traffic from a driver's seat.The above title shows the hectic traffic in Bangalore. The police are at their best, but in vain sometimes. The Bangalore Traffic Police have many Avatars and we show some of them in this story.
The common words known to the Bangalore drivers are Left-Right-Center... Two wheelers are known for this. See below how they ride, wherever the space, they are in. Not to blame the two wheelers alone, the motor vehicles, especially, autorickshaws,trucks and busses do go "Left -Right-Center".
Traffic Policemen have become the "sharp shooters" nowadays. They "shoot" the traffic violators by their digicam provided to them by their department. They will not stop you for the traffic violation at peak hours,instead, they capture the violators by their cameras and publish them (the pics and other details of fine etc.,) in the internet. You have to verify with the webportal and pay the fine within three months otherwise, you will be summoned to court by a warrant.Some of the Police "shooters" are shown below and the detailed story on the next page
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The above was the headline story of 'THE HINDU" dtd Jan04,2013. It further reads as : " The Bangalore traffic police have registered a whopping 50lakh cases of traffic violations and collected Rs:52crores in fines during 2012,the hieghest ever reported in the city. They recomended the suspension of 4,337 driving licenses for multiple traffic violations. The Traffic police booked 16.91 lakhs cases with digital cameras provided to consatbles at every junctions."
"These measures have helped us to reduce the number of accidents in the city drastically" says Mr.Saleem, ACP (Traffic)
Good News: Dip in road fatalities. Bangalore recorded the lowest numbers of road fatalities in a decade with 755 deaths in 5,471 accidents reported during 2012.The highest was in 2007 when 981 persons died in 8,426 accidents.
Why all these?? The Bangalore city traffic is going bad day by day. This is mainly due to various reasons viz.,
1. The city now has 42 lakh vehicles from only 1.75 lakh in 1985. Around 1,000 vehicles are being added daily. The increase in vehilces with same old roads causes the "traffic jam" and frequent violations by the motorists. Some other reasons are: 2. Parking of vehicles in the "blind spots" 3. Non adherence of traffic rules. 4.'Bus stops" created by commuters on the traffic signals. 5. Busses and heavy vehicles being driven parallel on the roads not giving way for the other vehicles. 6. Allowing cattles and cattle carts onthe busy roads etc.,
These are to name a few but there are many. I have covered some of the instances while I drive. I used my Olympus digicam (I used to carry always with me, though I love my Canon DSLR much ) and presenting them in the next few pages.
Bangalore city is now famous for stray dogs on the roads (do you remember my story about street dogs ), cattles are let out on the roads and carbage heaps found on the street corners. No traffic regulations could be observed. The "Garden city" has become "ugly city".
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Bad roads are always the problem to the motorist. The potholes are too many on the roads. Unattended potholes damage the road very soon due to heavy traffic. Even newly laid roads develop potholes within a day due to substandard materials. The work carried out in the service roads are left incomplete and left unattended for several months. Blocking the service roads leads to the congestion on the main road is another sad story.
BBMP ( Bangalore Corporation) has challenged that the potholes will be attended by thier PWD department within 2 days. But this is only an anouncement and not a reality.
The Bangalore city traffic police are doing their best to have the smooth and hastle free traffic.They never even wait for the road worker to come and set right the potholes. The head constable is trying to resolve the problem by spreading the asphalt on the pothole. In my opinion,this may be a service to the motorist but inexperience in the work results in the quality of work done.
The next few pages show some more observations made by me for the chaotic traffic in Bangalore city.
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Left-Right-Center is in the inner mind of the motorists in Bangalore. See below the lane discipline is not observed. Four lines of vehicles in a three lane traffic, leads to the chaotic driving and accidents. Even if you are a careful driver, you will have surprises while driving, overtaking from left and turning right with out a proper signal and vice versa, sudden halt of BMTC buss in the middle of road to board the passengers, vehicles crossing on the wrong side with out any signal or alert.
In certain areas of Bangalore, Cinema shooting is very frequent, the unit staff and crowd will make the traffic chaotic. The attitude of people to carry goods beyond their capablities also paves the way for accidents.
We are at the end of this story. I know you have a question in your mind. what's it? see next page..
