The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Concern over rise in number of vehicles

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 10, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Concern over rise in number of vehicles

Staff Correspondent

Police Commissioner emphasises need for restructuring traffic management system The Mysore Urban Development Authority has proposed a comprehensive traffic and transportation study

CHAOS ON ROAD: The rise in the number of vehicles in Mysore has become a cause for concern. — PHOTO: M.A. Sriram

MYSORE: The rise in the number of vehicles in the city over the years has become a cause for concern to the civic authorities.

According to the Road Transport Authority here, 3,05,376 vehicles have been registered so far.

"We are registering between 50 and 120 vehicles every day," an official told The Hindu.

The number of vehicles in the city remained below the 2.5-lakh mark till 2001.

The increase in their number after 2001 has put the civic authorities on notice.

"The number of vehicles in the city increased at the rate of 15,000 to 18,000 every year in the past four years," he added.

Roads appear crowded with vehicles fighting for space, honking and emitting toxic fumes, leading to noise and air pollution.

Fears

The Mayor, Dakshinamurthy, who put the number of vehicles plying in the city at 3.15 lakh at a recent function to mark World Environment Day, is concerned over the matter.

He expressed fears that the increase in the incidence of lung diseases among the residents of Mysore is on account of the pollution caused by vehicles.

Claiming that over a 100 vehicles are being registered in the city every day, the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) said their number might cross the 5-lakh mark in the next five years, leading to a chaotic traffic scenario. "Air and noise pollution, traffic jams and accidents are bound to increase on account of the unbridled increase in the number of vehicles," experts said.

The Mysore City Police Commissioner, Pravin Sood, emphasised the need for restructuring the traffic management system here in view of the alarming increase in the number of vehicles. "Traffic management has become a priority for the police in Mysore," he said.

The police recently carried out trials at various places to ease traffic congestion.

The rise in the number of vehicles has also brought about a corresponding increase in the demand for parking space, particularly in commercial areas. Though it is mandatory to use basements of commercial buildings for parking vehicles, most of them have been rented out.

Meanwhile, the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has proposed a comprehensive traffic and transportation study on roads in Mysore. The Mysore Urban Development Authority move comes in the wake of the pressure on the authorities to explore the possibilities of a Mass Rapid Transit System or metro for the city.

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