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Bangalore's hall of shame - 3rd class treatment for Bus commuters @ Marathahalli
Written By silkboard - 20 June, 2011
Bangalore BMTC BBMP Marathahalli ORR Bus Citizen Reports Transportation public transport footpaths
Sometime ago, we discussed Bangalore hall of shame locations, and Marathahalli Outer Ring Road junction. After one round of work to 'improve' pavements where in they basically widened the roads connecting Outer Ring road and Varthur Road, and installed barricades to prevent pedestrian spill over, this junction has been left as it is.
I am estimating that 10000+ people (25 buses per hour, for 12 hours, boarding/alighting combined 20 passengers each) use the 4 bus stands around this junction. And they get the exceptional 3rd class treatment from BMTC, BBMP, and traffic police.
- No shelter for any of the 4 bus stands at the junction. Granted you can't expect all bus stands in the City to have shelters, but at this huge junction? How long do people have to wait for BMTC and BBMP's babus to move?
- Pathetic facilities for crossing the roads, Outer Ring Road at two points, Varthur Road upto four points. Focus is "through traffic", pedestrians just 'complicate' things for traffic police.
- Let us not even talk of information on BMTC's Buses. Let us keep to the basics first, waiting for the bus, and changing from one bus to another.
The shameful-est thing to see is how the pedestrians cross Varthur Road, and also Outer Ring Road right near that Kalamandir place. Earlier, through traffic on Varthur Road used to be green all the time (for either one of the directions). So pedestrians were just left to fend for themselves. Thankfully, about 4-5 months ago, things get better, there is now a 10 second slot for pedestrians to sprint through. People are expected to dash at half of Usain Bolt's pace, 50 meters in 10 seconds. Then, as if pedestrians are from animal planet, there is a barrier 10 meters before and after the signal to sort of tell us that crossing must take place right at the junction, on top of the Outer Ring Road underpass. With no clear signage, no zebra crossing marks, no enforcement of where the cars and buses wait at the junction, people walk 20 meters or more away from the junction to cross. Result? People people everywhere, crossing at will.
If you ask our enterprising Traffic Police, I am sure they would blame people - 'look, what can we do, they cross anywhere and everywhere'. WRONG. Make nice signs, make vehicles respect the zebra sign, give people 20 seconds to cross the road, construct a "holding" area on the median (instead of those 10-meter barricades). Then we will see.
Words can't describe the junction. We need to have a street photography event to capture this hall-of-shame spot. If 4-5 people are game, lets pick a date and just do it - take 20 good pictures and mail to media, BMTC, BBMP and Traffic Police.
Have some pics I have been taking, will upload them later as and when time permits.
COMMENTS
excellent case study for "ball passing"
silkboard - 20 June, 2011 - 05:06
Warning - if you go to either of BBMP, BMTC or traffic police to suggest things, or complain (about this junction), you will be pointed towards the other. BMTC will point towards traffic police, and traffic police towards BMTC ("oh their drivers, we can only fine them") and BBMP and also BDA.
Somehow, when it comes to "managing traffic", all agencies show magical levels of collaboration. Sadly, when it comes to amenities for 3rd class citizens aka bus commuters, the collaboration goes missing.
It is a nightmare on ORR for pedestrains
Vasanth - 20 June, 2011 - 10:05
Pedestrains have a nightmare on ORR where there are no facilities to cross the roads. Road is also wide, so it is a 100 metre race. There are no zebra crossings, no skywalks, no pedestrain underpasses. People using 500 series buses to companies have to struggle hard risking their lives against high speed traffic.
Anyone from Intel / Honeywell / Cisco / Accenture working on ORR campus can describe their pains. Companies and ORRCA not taking any initiative.
sanjayv - 20 June, 2011 - 07:35
Marathahalli Bridge Intersection is a Leading Hall of Shame candidate. I can give many stories, but the simplest way to express frustration is to say that (a) This is one place I make allowances in my "give way to pedestrian" policy because they are everywhere and if I had to stop to give way, I'd be there forever. (b) The junction, especially making the left from Kalamandir toward the rail overbridge is so chaotic that I am physically afraid of coming that way.I have been a safe driver with a good driving record for the past decade and half, but this turn is an absolute nightmare.
We need to take pictures, videos etc. and propose a plan for implementation. Completely with you SB. How about an event around the second weekend of July?
We should perhaps do some Brain Storming for solutions
psaram42 - 20 June, 2011 - 08:38
Once in a year I have attended [restricted] Seminars at CISTUP organized jointly with Praja and participation of all concerned departments. I am a bit surprised to know that such questions are asked even now on our site. SB here is my two pennies worth “solution methodology”.
-
“Town planning” of the city of Bangalore
- Audit the plan methodologies which could be adopted for alleviating present traffic anarchy. [BDA? Traffic Police?]
- Audit sanctions given for new construction like malls etc [who gives and on what authority] mantry mall comes to my mind. Later on widen roads. Road should have been widened before sanctioning the malls
-
Traffic lights
- Maintenance
- Operation [Time allocation for pedestrian lights]
- Design limitation applicability for max pedestrian density
- etc
-
Providing Pedestrian Underpasses at junctions
- To provide as and when required
- Decide / audit priorities
- For example beautiful pedestrian underpasses are provided for MLAs at their hostel which is under utilized
- Neglected where unbearable densities are existing
- Rectification of such anomalies
- Traffic Solutions Innovations
Better late than never I guess.
Image 1: On the ramp from ORR exiting near Kalamandir towards Varthur road
This picture gives a clear view of the width of the footpath. Two people cannot walk side by side comfortably. Like Anu (who had come along for this meet) said - no woman would want to walk on a footpath like this where she can feel trapped in a narrow space between someone walking along and the barricade. I think that psychology applies to males also to an extent.
Image 2: Further up the ramp
How many people do you see walking along the footpath in this picture. Wait another hour and this scene gets worse.
Image 3:
First class, grade one work and encroachment
Image 4:
On the ramp going down from old airport road towards KR Puram. I love this spot. Twisted my ankle and was limping for a week at this exact spot while trying to walk around someone occupying the sidewalk like this lady here.
Image 5:
Sidewalk, trash repository, etc. This is where the underpass emerges towards the ORR side.
Image 6:
May not be the best angle, but the sprint across the road is more hair raising if you see the vehicle bearning down on this pedestrian. I have been this guy myself a few times.
Image 7:
Kalamandir has claimed the sidewalk. please take detour.
Image 8:
Please rest and enjoy the view before walking further.
Image 9:
Road towards Whitefield / Varthur. Notice the bus lanes. The left one is for ordinary buses, the right one is for volvo buses. Pedestrians, bus passengers can just hang out somewhere and wait for the bus. make sure no bus hits you.
Image 10:
The bus lane /stop is optional of course
Image 11
Buses coming up the ramp have a fun time turning into the bus stop lane
Image 12:
A view of the bus stop on old airport road going towards HAL. There is a case for defining this better?
Image 13:
A very common occurence. Buses do not pull up all the way into the bus stop lane. Then there is a backup which blocks the vehicles coming up the ramp from ORR merging into Varthur road. I hate this situation. It is utter chaos and there will also be pedestrians walking all over, some trying to catch the bus, rest trying to cross the road with no control making things worse. I don't blame the pedestrians. If you wait, you'll never cross the road. Just need to wait another hour or so to watch this situation crescendo. Unfortunastely, we met up a bit early.
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