Hi
I really wonder sometimes how BBMP operates. I work in Yelehanka and now usually go through Jalahalli on the newly widened road ( Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road ) joining MS Palya, which is at the end of Jalahalli AFB, and Yelahanka New Town. They have greatly improved this road over the last year. But I noticed something ridiculous. They have good streetlights on that road, but now, every 20 mts or so, they are installing small green ornamental streetlamps over the footpaths. This is also on the 2 km stretch between MS Palya and Yelahanka where no one walks ! There is the GKVK wall on one side and fields on the other, so putting up lamps there is meaningless - especially since there plenty of areas of Bangalore where there is no light and lots of people walk - and the fact that the streetlights provide adequate lighting anyway. It seems like someone is making money here....
Another thing that bothers me is that on the road to the airport, every 50 mts of so they have a speed limit 80 sign. Is there any meaning in putting up so many signs. The road is arouns 25 km long so it means there are aound 500 signs. At 4000 per sign this means they have spend 20 lakhs on just these signs ! While it may not be much in the grand scheme of things its still ridiculous.
Ramesh
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Very valid observation
Same is the case on the ring roads, every few meters you see a no parking or a speed limit sign board - these are the new B-TRAC signages and they are there over and above the previously installed signages.
Also small junction in the interiors are being fitted with traffic lights. More often they are not they are not used after a few days.
The worst thing is there is no one to enforce these traffic rules - probably they have great faith in the "morally right" Indians and expect us to follow these instructions!!!
They would have had better results had they hired a few more police personal than spend lavishly on these signages.
No traffice Law enforcement
Hi
Yeah, one of the things that really bothers me is that they put up these signs and think the job is done - appealing, as you say, to the better moral sense of the Bangalore public. Unfortunately, such a thing does not exist. They could make a lot of money just by enforcing parking violations. And quite often the No Parking signs are made with no though.
For example, on the street where I live - on one side there are very few gates and entries. On the other, there are several. A few months ago they put up some No parking signs on the side where there are no gates. As a result, the `moral' people, who dont want to illegally park, end up blocking exits of houses. Fortunaltely, there are also several immoral people who park on the No parking side anyway. But it also has the added side effect of people putting stones on the sides of their walls to `reserve' parking spots.
Here lack of enforcement is almost a good thing, but further down, when the street narrows and becomes more crowded, its really annoying that people seem to think it does not matter where they park. So near Sampige Road and 15th cross Malleswaram, where 15th cross is rather narrow - there is a often a jam caused by too many illegally parked cars.
The other day some idiot was driving the wrong way down 7th Cross, which is another crucial one way street in Malleswaram. When I confronted him and blocked him, he got very beligerent and angry. This is what really bothers me - people dont even think that they have done anything wrong and when pointed out, instead of getting apologetic, get angry and threatening. Its all because they know that a person like me is powerless as the police are completely indifferent to it - `Next time maad baydi'
I think the police should allow people to mail in photos of violations and take action on them. Nowadays, most people have cell phone cameras and if one can take a picture of a violation - like an illegally parked car - with the licence plate fully visible, the police should take some action. The BBMP could collect enough money to build the Bangalore of their dreams, even after pocketing most of it. A few minutes walk anywhere in Bangalore would convince you that this is a gold mine waiting to be tapped.
Ramesh
Street discipline - Find ways to Enforce
Ramesh /Rithesh,
Your observations are so correct. No matter how many signages are put up or dust bins provided, the common man is so indifferent & cares two hoots. Civic sense is extremely poor, if not non-existent in most cases.
The only way out is to try much stricter enforcement on a different tack - involve the private sector - hand out contracts to interested parties for various main streets & increase fines substantially, with a percentage of the collection going to the private company. This way, enforcement will improve for sure, though this will also attract a certain amount of corruption as the street marshals posted will look for opportunities to make some money on the side.
However, motorists will dread breaking rules more than now due to increased scrutiny & since the no. of marshalls on the lookout for violations will increase. This will be further boosted if fine amounts are substantially increased.
The tow-away wagons with investments from private parties have been successful to some extent in curbing the menace of illegal & haphazard parking on some of the important streets, at least. Parking on main streets was also being tendered to private parties earlier.
Likewise, a scheme for monitoring violations on streets involving the private sector can be tested to see if it can bring about some orderliness.
As regards lights & signages - clearly there is duplication & avoidable wastefulness. There is no point in providing a lot of signage with no enforcement. Enforcement alone without signage is also pointless & will not yield results. I wonder when the police think tanks will come out of their shells & come up with innovative methods to change the thinking & mentality of the public.