BENGALURU : It has been over seven months since the first Metro Phase-II line from Yelachenahalli to Silk Institute was launched, but Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (BMRCL) promise of making the Kanakapura Road pedestrian-friendly following completion of work is long forgotten. Pedestrians here continue to risk their lives by darting across the road by dodging speeding vehicles.
A total of 25 High-Rise Pedestrian Crossings (HRPC) and 25 rumble strips were meant to be in place along a 7.9-km stretch on the road from Sarakki Signal to Nice Junction. HRPC are scientifically built humps aimed to ensure safety for walkers, while rumble strips are a series of small rubber humps installed in close proximity to reduce the speed of vehicles.
Abdul Aleem, president, Changemakers of Kanakapura Road, an umbrella organisation of 60 Resident Welfare Organisations, told TNIE, “Residents here had requested BMRCL for the safety infrastructure on the road two years ago. Now, BBMP tells us that BMRCL needs to install these safety features. BMRCL had abruptly handed over the road to BBMP without completing these aspects. In the process, it is the residents who suffer daily.”
A BBMP official said that they were supposed to carry out these safety measures on the stretch of the road between Sarakki Signal to Konanakunte Junction (2 km) but the portion between Konanakunte Signal to Nice Road ( 5.9 km) had to be done by the BMRCL. “I have already asked our traffic engineering cell to install three HRPC crossings in the portion we need to do and it will be done soon,” the official added.
A senior BMRCL official said that it was up to the BBMP and the traffic police to create these safety features. “We handed over the road to the BBMP two months ago after restoring it. We do not know where to install these humps. Our job on the road is over now.”