Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, July 30: Nanthoor Circle is a prominent junction where vehicles of three National Highways and vehicles from the city converge. National Highway 169 (Mangaluru-Shringeri-Shivamogga), National Highway 66 (Mangaluru-Karwar), and National Highway 75 (Mangaluru-Bengaluru) have to invariable pass this junction while entering the city. Now, there are several major traffic issues at this junction. Invaribly, motorists moving away from the city and entering the National Highway or thos who are entering the city have to suffer from regular traffic jams at Nanthoor Circle.
Motorists have to stop their vehicles for a few minutes while moving via Nathoor Circle. During the peak hours, there is a huge traffic pile-up on all the four roads leading to the junction.
The road that leads a motorist into the city from the circle (Malikatte) is steep and curved. The are several potholes on the road connecting Nanthoor from Padil. Vehicles from National Highway 66 have to take a 90-degree turn while moving toward Padil.
Commuters are cursing the traffic management system whenever there is a VIP movement and traffic comes to a standstill on the road during such movements as zero traffic is clamped forcing motorists to wait near the circle.
Students and employees coming from Padil Junction, National Highway 169 and NH 66 towards the city have to wait near this circle at least twice a day. Sometimes people are forced to waste several minutes waiting on this road due to dense traffic.
Motorists woes are compounded during the summer months when they have to stand in the traffic amidst the scorching temperature. When the circle was being developed in the year 2003 as many as 5000 vehicles were passing through this circle. Now, the number of vehicles passing this circle is ten times more.
As there are several hospitals in the city, sometimes the Ambulance vehicles get blocked near this circle. On some occasions, Ambulance vehicles are forced to take these roads and it becomes an herculean task for the police to make way for the ambulance vehicles to pass through the traffic.
If a flyover is constructed density of vehicular traffic can be considerably but temporarily reduced. Constructing an alternate road may become essential to stop heavy trucks from entering the city, sources indicate.
The National Highway Authority of India has reportedly invited tenders to build a flyover. But, the work can be resume only after the monsoon is over.