MYSORE: The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has cautioned the Government against the proposed introduction of electric trolley buses in the city, lest they become "white elephants" and bring disrepute to planners and administrators.

In a recent letter to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Transport Minister N. Cheluvaraya Swamy, copies of which were made available to the press, the MGP has pointed out that proposal to introduce electric trolley buses would not work in the overall context of transportation in Mysore city unless it was carefully integrated into the existing system and designed to cater for future requirements.

Traffic congestion

Referring to severe traffic congestion in Bangalore, the MGP said Mysore should start planning for the future if it was to avoid such a situation.

"In this connection, we would like to suggest that before the electric trolley bus or any other proposal regarding traffic and transportation is mooted, a comprehensive survey and study of Mysore City is conducted by qualified transportation consultants appointed by the Government of Karnataka," MGP President Maj. Gen. (Retd) S.G. Vombatkere said in the letter.

Pointing out that such a survey was not likely to cost more than Rs. 50 lakh, the MGP urged the Government to immediately place the comprehensive survey on a priority list and budget the expenditure incurred on the exercise. He hoped that the study-cum-survey would commence at the earliest in the long-term interests of Mysore and its citizens.

The MGP pointed out that traffic in Mysore was growing at a tremendous pace and the roads were getting increasingly congested. Traffic and pedestrian safety was being rapidly compromised on account of not only traffic congestion, but also air and noise pollution.

Temporary measures

In these circumstances, mere traffic planning by making roads one-way or planning flyovers or bypasses cannot provide relief except for a short period, because these too would become congested as the volume of traffic grows.

"All over the world, the solution for transportation within urban areas has been to improve public transportation and provide disincentives for use of personal vehicles. Naturally, discouraging use of personal vehicles would be unfair until a suitable public transportation system is created, which is reliable, cheap, regular and provides good route and destination coverage in the city for a large section of the population," the MGP said.

The system would have to be designed keeping in view of the human and vehicular population for 25 to 30 years ahead and the size and the spread of the city at that time, it said.

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