Bangalore, Feb 05: Bangalore’s traffic conditions are chaotic. Pot holes and speed breakers on roads are common and very often not marked. Crazy things happen on the road - two-wheelers swerve blindly, overtaking at blind corners, reckless riding etc. Has the drive launched by Bangalore City Traffic police to check traffic violations really helped in bringing some sense of discipline on roads?
Opinions are divided. Concerned citizens bemoan the utter carelessness of some of the city’s two-wheeler riders, especially the youth. But, who will rein in such recklessness?
Consider this. While Bangalore had just 3,06,589 vehicles in 1985, the vehicle population as on September 30, 2002 was 16,96,664 vehicles of which two-wheelers alone was 12,59,891. No wonder certain important roads are jam-packed with vehicles. Reckless riding has taken the lives of scores of people. Last year, a 21-year-old motorcyclist was killed due to overspeeding on the Richmond Circle flyover. Similarly, the Sirsi Circle-Town Hall flyover has witnessed more than half-a-dozen fatal accidents in the last three years, many due to rash and negligent riding.
Of the 820 people who were killed in accidents reported in different parts of the City in 2002, 106 were killed in accidents involving motorcycles alone. The youth are constantly in a hurry and with a wide range of trendy and fast bikes available to them they zip recklessly through dense traffic. A number of them ride in a dangerous manner not only for themselves but for others around them. Dangerous riding is all the more visible on college campuses.
It is essential to have speed limits for bikes in addition to separate lanes. Besides, issuance of driving licences should be made more strict. Youngsters should be taught the nuances of safe driving.
The Traffic Enforcement Automation Initiative (spot issuance of electronically generated bill for violating traffic rules) taken by the Traffic Police to mechanise the process of enforcing traffic rules is laudable. But the traffic police should be more stringent in dealing with violations, especially by the youth.
A fortnight ago, the Karnataka High Court, while expressing concern over the reckless riding of two-wheelers, directed the State Government and the police department to conduct a concerted three-month-drive, to check traffic offences by two-wheeler riders.
According to statistics with the traffic police, the number of cases registered against motorcyclists for overspeeding was 966 in 2002, while 500 cases were registered against scooterists and 231 cases against moped riders, BMTC buses (8) and KSRTC (9). In the same year, 18,548 cases were registered against motorcyclists, 15,340 cases against scooterists, 10,201 cases against moped riders for reckless riding. Reckless riding and overspeeding attracts a fine of Rs 300 each.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M N Reddi says that the police will abide by the directions of the Karnataka High Court to conduct a drive against traffic violations. “We will definitely focus on various violations in addition to carrying out joint, random checks to prevent overspeeding, reckless driving/riding and other traffic offences, in a bid to check accidents. We will be very strict with violations,” he added.
Driving on Bangalore roads is indeed a terrifying experience. But can anything be done?
