Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Apr 10: Crossing roads safely has become a life-threatening challenge across the city, particularly at major junctions along national highways and busy thoroughfares. The absence of basic pedestrian infrastructure combined with reckless driving has created a perfect storm of hazards for those on foot.

The problems stem from multiple failures in urban planning and traffic management. Most junctions lack zebra crossings, speed bumps, or proper signage, forcing pedestrians to take dangerous risks. Even where traffic signals exist, they often provide less than one minute for safe crossing. Vehicles routinely park on or block the few existing pedestrian crossings with no enforcement from authorities.

Several critical junctions illustrate these dangers. At Kottara Chowki, the complete absence of marked crossings leaves pedestrians to weave through chaotic traffic. The KPT Junction, while having traffic signals, fails to provide clear pedestrian crossing points or adequate crossing time. Balmatta presents perhaps the worst scenario, where haphazard bus parking and mid-road dividers force walkers to literally climb over barriers while dodging speeding vehicles.

The situation near Jyothi Circle and the Bunts Hostel area proves equally perilous, with hundreds of students and daily commuters risking their lives to cross roads. Here, unregulated bus parking and total absence of pedestrian infrastructure create constant near-misses.

Authorities continue to ignore these systemic issues despite repeated accidents. The lack of police presence at crossings, failure to maintain existing infrastructure, and absence of pedestrian-focused planning in road projects all contribute to what has become an urban safety crisis. With monsoon approaching, these already dangerous conditions threaten to become deadly as visibility decreases and roads become slippery.