PROCEEDINGS OF THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING ON TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN BANGALORE CITY HELD ON 17-12-2011 AT 11.30 A.M.

AT THE CONFERENCE HALL OF OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, NO.1, INFANTRY ROAD, BANGALORE CITY. PRESENT: 1) Shri. B.G. Jyothi Prakash Mirji, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Bangalore City 2) Dr. M.A. Saleem, IPS, Addl. Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Bagalore City. 3) Shri. Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Transport Department, Bangalore. 4) Shri. B.A. Muthanna, Dy. Commissioner of Police, Traffic East, Bangalore City 5) Shri. Mahadevaiah, Dy. Commissioner of Police, Traffic West, Bangalore City. 6) Shri. A. Nagappa, ACP, Planning, Bangalore City. 7) Shri. S.A. Pasha, ACP, TTI, Bangalore City. 8) Shri. Y.N. Balakrishna, AEE (West), BBMP (TEC) 9) Shri. R.S. Ravishankar, AEE (TEC), BBMP 10) Shri. S.L. Chavan, Jt. Director of Public Instructions, Bangalore Division 11) Shri. B.M. Ramachandraiah, CTRO, KSRTC, Bangalore. 12) Shri. M.B. Sathyanarayana, ATM, Accident, KSRTC, Bangalore 13) Shri. Shiva Prakash, BMTC, Bangalore. 14) Shri. C.K. Sreenath, AEE, BESCOM, E-3, M.G. Road, Bangalore 15) Shri. B.H. Kantha Reddy, I/c EEE, Indiranagar, BESCOM 16) Shri. T.S. Shivaram, Senior Executive Engineer, BESCOM 17) Shri. G.R. Chandrashekaraiah, Senior Engineer, BESCOM, Bangalore. 18) Dr. Gururaj, Professor, NIMHANS 19) Shri. Sanjeev Maraddi, S.E, B.D.A, 20) Shri. Shanmukh Hadagod, Inspector Motor Vehicles, RTO, Bangalore 21) Shri. B.H. Sanjeev Kumar, TTIC, Bangalore. 22) Shri. Jaiprasad R. Retd EIC, BBMP I have retained only the names of the government officials in the list. Addl. Commissioner of Police, Traffic welcomed all Traffic Experts and presented the action taken report for the points raised in the last meeting held on 19-11-2011. All the members appreciated the efforts of the Traffic Police in taking action to strengthen enforcement of traffic laws & streamlining the flow of traffic in city. The following points emerged from the discussions in the meeting. 1) Shifting of 122 Bus Stops which are close to Intersection - A detailed discussion was held regarding shifting of bus-stops. It eases the traffic movement as well as avoids traffic road accidents also. Shri. R. Jaiprasad, Rtd EIC, BBMP insisted shifting of busstands especially on Bellary road near HQc. BBMP authorities who were present disclosed that a peace of land has been allotted for bus-bay. The members opoined that, the process will take lot of time, hence immediately the stakeholders can advice to shift the bus-stop to the ney earmarked place as there is no expenditure on the part of BBMP.

2) Constructions of 34 Sky-walks/sub-way across the city - Lot of arguments regarding non use of existing sky-walks / sub-ways. One of the member suggested to have a escalator system instead of sky-walks. BBMP Authorities explained that the maintenance of escalators on the road is very very difficult. Addl.CP, Traffic explained the necessity of the above on the vital and necessary areas where lots of people crosses the roads. He also told that previously there was 175 in number, now it has been reduced to only 34 and the same has been approved by the High Power Committee headed by Chief Secretary of Karnaka on 12-12-2011. 3) Asphalting of City roads, which are damaged due to mansoon rains - The discussion went on more on pot holes all over the city. BBMP authorities have assured that, Rs. 2 lakhs each to all the Wards of Bangalore City. The local Engineers are instructed to take up work early. Regarding asphalting of certain important road will also taken up early. 4) Restoration of Millers road, Richmond road, OPH Road and Megarath road - The BBMP authorities assured that the Miller Road work is almost completing remaining works are in progress and the same will be completed early. 5) Early completion of three grade separators between Marathalli and Ibloor on Outer Ring Road, BHEL Junction and Tagore Circle - BDA authorites assured that the grade separator work between Marathalli & Ibloor on Outer Ring Road will be completed within a couple of months. The BHEL Junction works and Tagore Circle works are in progress. 6) Removal of footpath parking - Addl.CP Traffic, assured that parking on footpath is being removed by booking cases and towing the vehicles which are parked on footpath. The continue action in this regard will automatically reduced the menace. 7) Prevention of riding on footpath - Addl. CP, Traffic assured that, the officers are instructed to book regular cases under IPC Section to curb the footpath riding. More number of cases are already booked and their Driving Licences are also seized and sent to RTO Authorities for suspension. 8) Prevention of Drag Racing and Wheeling - Addl. CP, Traffic assured that the officers are instructed to book regular cases under IPC Section and to seize the vehicles, brought into P.F. More number of cases are already booked and their Driving Licences are also seized and sent to RTO Authorities for suspension. 9) Suspension and revocation of driving licence for repeat offenders - To avoid accidents during the night time Special Drives were conducted to book cases against the drunk & driving. The officers were also instructed to seize the driving licence of the repeat offenders to cancel their Driving Licences by RTO authorities. 10) Implementation of Safe Route to School project - The Addl. CP assured mainly three important componants in this project. i.e (1) Seggregating of school timings (2) Enhancing the security (3) providing sound public transport system. BBMP authority

have brought to the notice of the members that there is a proposal to Cycle Track for school children in certain important roads in Jayanagar, Madiwala & Malleshwaram. It can also be part of the above project. 11) Special drives - Special drives have been conducted to curb the above menace and it will be a continuous process to the safety of lives of the public and smooth traffic in the city. 12) Preparation for observance of National Road Safety Week during January 2012 - Jt. Commissioner of Transport Department has explained that the details of the National Road Safety Week which will be observed during January-2012 and the proceedings of the same will be circulated. 13) Requisition from Basavanagudi Model House Streets Citizen Welfare Association, Bangalore Ban of Heavy vehicles & Tourist vehicles from Nagasandra Circle to Nattakallappa Circle on D.V.G Road & Ban of Vegetable Vendors in Model House Street 1, 2 & 3. Addl. Commissisoner of Police, Traffic in his concluding remarks stated that, all the suggestions will be examined by Bangalore Traffic Police. Action will be initiated in due course. Next Meeting will be conducted on 3rd Saturday during the month of February, and action will be reviewed in the monthly meetings. sd/- Addl. Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Bangalore City. Points discussed but not included in the minutes (as listed by Maj Kapur, one of the invitees who attended the meet): 1) Construction of Skywalks etc - The current design of skywalks is unsuitable as these neither facilitate easy access across the roads, but they definitely have no facility for those who are physically disadvantaged. If escalators are found impractical from maintenance point of view then they should incorporate easy ramps. There are plenty of designs available around the world cities, but design of any sky walk in Indian conditions that does not encourage its use by and for whom it is intended in the first place is a waste of money. Authhorities should organise a design competition from among public and professional groups and then adopt the most useful. Our aim should be make Bangalore a truly pedestrian friendly city. 2) Removal of footpaths parking - Footpath parking happens invariably in front of commercial establishments. In residential areas this is particularly in evidence even on side and purely residential roads. If vehicles are not allowed to park on footpaths, they will park these on the carriageways. This whole question of vehicles being parked either on roads or on footpaths is a result of the following:

(a) Bye laws that permit commercialisation of residential plots with no control over enforcement of parking rules. (b) Unabated permissions given to Driving Schools to open their shop on residential roads, irrespective of the road width. (c) Lack of parking space by way of either not designating such areas or lack of multilevel parking in neighbourhood. (d) Virtually no enforcement of violations with strict penalties. The Transport Joint Commissioner promised to look at the aspect of Driving Schools in residential areas, after Mr. Mirji intervened in support of our objections. Mr Saleem also assured that a separate drive will be undertaken to stop this menace, but for rules and laws to change, Police department has a limited role to play, but whenever asked they will give their inputs. 3) Prevention of driving on footpaths - It was suggested that jig saw barriers should be erected at frequent intervals, particularly in the vicinity of traffic lights to prevent two wheelers driving on footpaths. Mr. Balakrishnan of BBMP Traffic Planning Cell agreed with the suggestion. 4) Road safety in residential areas - It was pointed out that most of the problems relating to road safety and congestion in residential areas is caused by the RTO permitting tests and issue of driving licenses from their offices located in residential areas. Driving Schools operate from locations bang next to schools where safety of children is directly threatened. Transport department should ensure that a separate place for conducting driving lessons and tests is earmarked outside the city limits. Licenses should also be issued from that location. Further RTOs need to conduct a test even for the driving school instructors to find out how much knowledge of road etiquette they posses before giving the driving schools permission to train freshers. We will interact with the Joint Commissioner to take this further because of shortage of time the discussion was inconclusive. 5) Use of Vernacular Number Plates on vehicles - A common question was asked both of Jt. Commr. Transport and Addl Commr. Police (Traffic) what was the rule regarding display of numbers on the vehicles. It was clarified that as per law number plates should display only English letters and numbers in specific size. In Karnataka, they have allowed, only as an additional feature, display in Kannada but only in addition to the mandated law of display in English. It is not an alternative but as an addition only. It was then asked why this law is allowed to be blatantly broken without any effort to curb it. Vehicles come for inspection and registration at RTO with fancy number plates but no action is taken by RTO but instead a renewal is given. Why? We also see number plates in different styles and fancy lettering. Enforcement of law is particularly necessary in view of the internal security factor. Both the Officers agreed to start a special drive towards correction of this malady. We will need to follow it up.

The following special drives are also planned: 1. Drink and Driving 2. Use of Mobile Phones while driving. 3. Driving without crash helmets. 4. Overspeeding and dangerous driving. 5. Driving without seat belt, and now 6. Drive against wrong number plates. Regards, Major Kapur