Firstly, we need to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. A large part of the traffic in this area is caused because people from all parts of the city choose the Hebbal flyover to go to the airport. So alternative roads to the airport can also really help in decongesting the area. For example, people can also use Banaswadi or Thanisandra instead. Additionally, road tarring will ensure smoother flow of traffic. Lastly, in order to prevent accidents, reflective stickers can be applied to medians, so that people do not crash into divider walls.” — Traffic police official, Hebbal
I have been working at Manyata Tech Park for eight months now and since I began, there has been constant construction work going on in the area. The traffic jam starts here and further develops into the congestion we often notice on Hebbal flyover. Speedy road infrastructure works could help fix this. The road itself seems alright but we need to focus on reducing the number of vehicles. Many people residing around Hebbal, who happen to work at the tech park, can consider carpooling or cycling. We also have many apps for carpooling but we need to use it more.
— Vaishnavi Vasudevan, senior copywriter, marketing, Target Corporation
The traffic bottleneck at Hebbal is caused due to sudden and sharp difference in road capacity along the road length. There’s a sudden increase on both sides of the flyover leading to the airport. A difference in width leads to difference in capacity. The solution for this would be road widening, which needs to be undertaken to ensure route capacity remains uniform. This, however, is a short term fix. The long term solution is reducing dependence on private vehicles and opting for public transport instead.
— Ashish Verma, transportation systems engineer, Indian Institute of Science
I travel from Whitefield to Electronics City via Silk Board and it takes me almost 30 minutes to cross that junction. Though I hate it I have almost made peace with it now because there is no other way out for me. It does not matter whichever road is blocked, it invariably affects the Silk Board junction.
— Hrudaya Prasanna Dash, software engineer
Silk Board junction connects basically four parts of the city – Outer Ring Road, Electronics City, Madiwala and the south of Bengaluru, so traffic congestion is bound to happen. Even if people start taking public transport, there are so many commuters that use this junction because of which there is so much of movement of traffic. — Pawan Mulukutla, Urban Mobility Expert
There seems to be a big issue with double parking on Church Street, Museum Road and Brigade Road which is the biggest reason for traffic jams. A three-signal crossroad will improve response time for vehicular movement near Anil Kumble Circle by re-organising the road towards Shivajinagar as a one way. A separate building/ground should be constructed for 300 vehicles at least to mitigate the on-road parking issue. —Tushal Wilson, associate software engineer
Brigade Road should be free of traffic and parking. If one allows vehicular movement on those roads, then it’s obvious that there will be congestion. Brigade Road operates as a one way and St.Marks Road which also operates in a similar manner, should both have a complementary system of a one-way route. Only then is it possible to organise the traffic in the area. The MG Road Metro should have parking space which is currently unavailable – some areas can be acquired from the Manekshaw Parade Ground. With a second Metro line on MG Road, we need a multi-level car parking system for all the vehicles.
— MN Srihari, traffic expert
The wall of Palace Grounds has already been pushed in by 20-30 feet, but Sankey Road has still not been widened for years. We can even use a lot of free real estate space currently occupied by open areas in ministers’ houses, as well as another 10-20 feet into the golf course. A small encroachment into the golf course won’t affect anyone’s game.
— Rahul Tadimalla, founding partner - RSVP Capital Advisors
We need to look at a larger picture instead of isolating the areas. Otherwise the problem will never get fixed. We need one traffic regulatory body that can look into the matter. Right now, BBMP, BDA, BMTC, BMRCL are each coming up with initiatives without any integration. It’s like an orchestra
without a conductor.
— V Ravichandar, civic expert
People have to understand that driving is an exhausting task, the concentration needs to be on driving and driving alone. By chance there is an accident or a car breakdown that causes the jam, there is a need for swift emergency breakdown response vehicles. These would hinder a chain reaction of queuing up of vehicles by freeing up the lane.
— Prakash Joseph, techie
Stricter road rule enforcement would theoretically ease everyone’s morning commute to work or school, here in Peenya. Starting the day with a traffic jam has become a part of our lives but it should not be so. Everyone I’m sure will agree that it’s better to wake up and smell the coffee instead of the fumes from other cars.
— P Vijayan, official, Directorate of Urban Land Transportation
There are so many people and so many cars that pass this junction, no road widening can reduce the traffic here. — Traffic police official at Silk Board
Parking should be taken off Brigade Road primarily and more importantly, a re-routing is required in order to have a smoother flow of traffic. Church Street, on the other hand, should be made vehicle-free.
— Traffic police official, Brigade Road
Although we regulate traffic to ensure smooth flow, peak hours are often when there is a pile-up. The planning in parts is unscientific which is the reason for slow-moving traffic. The roads here need to be widened and the junctions need to be redesigned. — Traffic police official at High Grounds
Here, residents face acute last-mile connectivity issues. With a considerable number of professionals working in peripheral city pockets like Electronics City, Whitefield and Peenya, these problems are accentuated even further. If people opt for Metro, the traffic density will automatically reduce.
— Traffic police official at Tumakuru Road
inputs: Brinda Das, Monika Monalisa, Muneef Khan, Simran Ahuja, Vidya Iyengar