Mangalore: Hampankatta junction to be signal-free soon?
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore
Mangalore, Nov 3: It is common to have traffic signals at important junctions in cities. In a few big cities, traffic signal has been done away with and arrangements made for continuous movement of vehicles. A similar system will soon be implemented even in Mangalore.
If all goes as planned, Hampankatta junction, the heart of the city, will soon become signal-free.
If the signal-free system is implemented, then there is no need for traffic lights, vehicle crossing or, for that matter, even traffic policemen.
How will the system work?
In this system, vehicles plying from State Bank-Hampankatta towards Ambedkar circle and vehicles from Ambedkar circle to State Bank can move freely without signal.
Meanwhile, vehicles moving from K S Rao Road to Milagres or State Bank have to take a left turn near the signal and then right turn near the Syndicate Bank and then move towards the signal. If one has to go to Milagres, then one should take left turn near the signal.
Similarly, vehicles moving to K S Rao Road from Milagres have to move towards Clock Tower and then take a turn. Vehicles moving towards Mangaladevi from this route too have to take a right turn near Syndicate Bank.
Near the signal, on both the sides, pedestrians will be allowed to cross the road for 30 seconds. But passengers will not be allowed to catch any public transport. A bus bay will be constructed near Syndicate Bank from where passengers can catch the bus.
To implement this system, a u-turn has to be built near Syndicate Bank connecting State Bank. Hence, the traffic police have appealed to the MCC to undertake this work. But even though 15 days have passed, no technical report has been prepared by the MCC engineers yet.
The 30-meter wide road has to be built by the MCC. Once technical report is ready, permission has to be obtained from higher authority and then work will begin.
The system was proposed by Mangalore regional transport office motor vehicle inspector Charan and traffic police inspected the area twice and gave their nod.
Whether the move will be panacea for traffic problems at Hampankatta or a recipe for disaster, only time will tell.