Even though the Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) claim that the number of accidents have come down drastically, the year 2012 witnessed quite a few pedestrian accidents. The recent accident of Sheik Amina, 25, in front of the National Bureau for Agriculturally Important Insects at the CBI flyover on Bellary Road has once again triggered the question on pedestrians safety on these roads.
Says Additional Commissioner of BTP, M A Saleem, “There are so many provisions for pedestrians to use but the problem is that no body utilises them. There are two sub-ways that have been built by the BBMP in that route. One is near the CBI office and another near RT Nagar Police station, but there are hardly any takers.”
Introduced in 2008 as part of the B-Trac programme at various junctions, the BTP have installed up to 35 pelican signals, of these four were added recently. Saleem adds, “After Mekhri Circle, we have installed a pelican signal to ensure pedestrian safety since it is a road where most vehicles over speed. The purpose will be served only when pedestrians make use of these facilities. They don’t, and end up inviting problems for themselves.”
Even the skywalks at many places look deserted. Saleem says, “Take for example the skywalk near Bishop Cotton Boys’ School at Residency Road, there are a few pedestrians who actually make use of it.”
Similar incidents involving pedestrians occurred on July 24 this year when a cafe chain employee died after a ramming into a maxicab at the Hesaraghatta Cross. On the same day an operator in a private factory in Peenya was run over by a BMTC bus on Magadi Road.
However, Saleem says, “The recent accident of Sheik Amina was unfortunate, but the rate of accidents from Yehlanka to the Bangalore International Airport has come down to a great extend. The result can be attributed to the action that has been initiated by the BTP like installing two enforcement cameras, inceptors and tyre barricades to control over speeding.”