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Life’s like that
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Very often we crib about the traffic. Narangoli Padmanabhan comes up with some calculations and solutions
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City life, that many feel is “posh” is rather miserable for many others.
Traffic jams and other hurdles add to this misery making urban life hopeless for the masses.
The BBMNP is trying to cope with the situation building Metro Rail.
The process is a time-consuming one and the construction work itself is causing hazardous traffic blocks.
I used to travel from Dairy Circle to Yeswantpur which earlier took 30 minutes. Now it takes about two hours.
Expensive fuel and precious time and manpower are mercilessly burnt. Was this national waste inevitable? Is there not a way out?
Of course there is! But there must be a will. The bus is the means of transport for the ordinary commuters, which can carry 35 to 40 passengers.
The road space required for a bus can accommodate approximately one-and-half portion of a car that can carry six on board, or three autorikshaws holding nine, or four bikes which can take eight people. That means on an average, seven passengers only can be accommodated in other conveyances occupying the road space required for a bus. The bus therefore is five times more efficient than other small carriers.
I suggest the following measures for an immediate solution: First identify heavy traffic routes. Channelise only buses through it between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Non-passenger vehicles should be directed through other routes.
Three and two-wheelers should be directed through link roads and lanes that can hold this traffic. Just three days are enough to draw up a plan for this.
Put the plan into practice for a week’s trial run. Reasonable objections and practicable suggestions should be looked into, and modifications made, during the trial run period. Thereafter, the plan can go on a permanent footing.
This is a suggestion to reach an immediate solution. Long-term projects like Metro Rail, widening of lanes, construction of new roads, etc. can be resorted to in a phased manner, as usual.
No extra costs are involved other than that required for new signal boards and hoardings, which can be met by sponsorships.
In addition, reduction in public conveyance fares can also be looked into, for, the operational expenses will be reduced directly proportional to the anticipated low fuel consumption.
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