Rampant bus parking on ORR: Consequence of unscientific planning

Chandra Prabhu | NT

Bengaluru: The Central Silk Board junction, connecting important roads in South Bengaluru (Outer Ring Road, NH44), is notorious for its congestion.

It is a subject of hilarious social media posts, with memes and videos ridiculing Bengaluru traffic originating from the heart of this junction.

In the early hours of the city, when roads typically experience minimal traffic, the Silk Board junction does not seem to catch a break. Private contract buses use it as their "pickup point" and park on a lane of NH44 towards Hosur.

"Most of these buses ply to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Pondicherry," said Santhosh, a traffic policeman stationed here to maintain traffic flow.

"These buses come here and park for extended periods, citing the excuse of waiting for boarding passengers," he explained.

"As soon as one bus departs and another park at the same spot, the traffic comes to a standstill," he added while tapping the buses to alert the drivers to move.

When asked about the frequency of this parking issue, he said, "This happens every day, especially on weekends."

He also mentioned that festive days like Pongal and Onam, which conclude this week, attract even larger numbers. "This goes on until 1 am," Santhosh said.

He reported that he has informed his superiors, including those in the Home Ministry, about this issue, but no action has been taken. "Funds for a bus stand for private buses need to be released," he demanded.

Kumar, in charge of a bus bound for Pollachi, expressed his concerns. "I've been working on this route for ten years. We have requested the state government to build a bus stop for us," he said.

However, he expressed doubts about ever seeing one. He also explained how passengers, despite their modest educational backgrounds, fail to reach the bus on time.

"We are told to keep moving by the police and, at the same time, wait for passengers to board the bus. Today (Monday) is better. I've seen worse on weekends," he remarked.

Subramani, who runs a fastfood stall on the service road, simply stated, "Four vehicles come and go in a lane where only two are allowed."

When asked if there have been efforts to address such situations, he said, "No, everything but the roads has developed," based on his experience of working here for the past decade.

"With development and opportunities increasing, the growth in the fleet of these buses can also be seen," he added.

Subramani also raised concerns regarding the extension of this road. "Officials measured for a road extension before the pandemic, but it never materialized," he said.

The idea of a private bus stop seemed elusive to him. "There is no space for one when all of it is taken up for the construction of the metro."

Despite changes in governments over the past decade, it is disappointing to see that no initiative has been taken to address this issue, leaving travelers, buses, and the police to bear the brunt of it.

When News Trail attempted to contact the Planning Department of the Bangalore Traffic Police, there was no response for two days.