An open letter to BDA: Construct subways, to avoid accidents

An alarm beep installed at every signal is just for 5 seconds, which is not enough for public to cross a long stretch of road.
To
T Sham Bhat, BDA Commissioner
Subir Hari Singh, BDA Chairman
Town Planning Chairman
                          
Subject: Construct pedestrian subways in Bangalore

This is to bring to your notice that there is urgent requirement of pedestrian subways at areas such as:

• Vasanthnagar – Cantonment
• Mekhri Circle
• Jayamahal – Fun World
• Indian Express
• Mantri mall area
• Belundoor
• Yeshwanthpur,  etc

It has indeed become a pain trying to cross roads in Bangalore as one has to literally put a risk to his life to cross a road. If he is not a good sprinter, heaven will make place for him. Alarm beep installed at every signal is just for 5 seconds, which is not enough for public to cross a long stretch of road. One has to wait for 30-40 minutes to cross at busy junctions like Mekrhi Circle, Vasanthnagar-Cantonment etc. or literally run on the road to reach the other side.

Yesterday, a pedestrian trying to cross the road was run over by a bus at Cantonment. One would see everyone, irrespective of age group, running on junctions. But what about the old and the disabled?

Recently, jaywalking had been made an offence in the city and many pedestrians have been fined for running on road while crossing. But the real reason for people top jaywalk is the failure in providing proper mechanism in the city. Most metros like Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai provide for subways or an over bridge to cross without interruption of traffic, but Namma Bengaluru has no concern for the pedestrians.

The BDA’s Revised Master Plan-2015 is “pedestrian-oriented” in words, but nothing exists in reality. Pedestrian subways would help in free flow of traffic and a lot of road-accidents can also be averted. In an era where Bangalore is developing quickly, the pedestrian’s needs are overlooked.

For the safety of the citizens of Bangalore, it is required that subway crossings be constructed. It is highly important that the BBMP not only identify other junctions or areas where subways are required but an open invitation to public calling for identification of areas where subways are required should be given urgent attention, so that it is included in the Revised Master Plan 2015.

Sincerely,

A pedestrian

Comments:

  1. keerthikumar says:

    Many sub-ways constructed at Vijayanagar,Shivajinagar Bus Stand, KR circle are not in operation, further the sub-way connecting city railway station and KSRTC bus stand is poorly maintained no human being can use again at City Market took about a decade construct to Sub-way, it is better to find alternate for the sub-way,

  2. lila iyer says:

    5 sseconds could suffice if the pedestrian did not have to zigzag among the vehicles that have overshot onto the crossing

  3. Vinita Chadra says:

    A cross over, is a less cost option.

  4. Shashank Kumar says:

    ‘@Vinita Chandra. One has to think long term, the city does not remain beautiful with metro above ground, flyovers and skywalks all over ground. There are some cities in Europe where there is no construction above the height of a tree. Subways are a long term measure- See New Delhi for example, every intersection has a subway crossing! If they come up with a mechanism for a care-taker for every subway(probably a vendor), who is authorized to collect fines and maintain the subway I think the problem is solved.

  5. Shashank Kumar says:

    I did see in one of the newspapers few days ago that the Town Planning authorities, are ‘planning’ to construct 10 skywalks with escalators.. Somehow, even the thought of that – I think its going to look dirty.. @Lila Iyer: try crossing the road in places like residency road, or m.g.road, where it is like an obstacle course with the metro rail in between..

  6. Saravan Kumar says:

    Sincerely Thank you Shashank for voicing this single most important life threat for a bangalorean. Pedestrians are the new dogs in Bangalore. Marathahalli bridge is a case study. The pedestrian and the rider/driver go through this trauma everyday while the high tech innovative traffic automation system and blackberry holding police watch the fun. What is the point?

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