Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Feb 1: We keep hankering about development. But development should be backed by sufficient advance preparations and enough precautions to be fruitful. This has been amply proved by the way Melkar near here, which has of late emerged as a commercial hub, has trasnformed itself within a short period.

Melkar junction had often hogged limelight in the pat for frequent traffic jams which took hours to clear. After various authorities put in efforts, it has now turned into a beauteous area with wide roads and greenery, but regretfully, it also also turned into an accident zone.

Melkar, which is located a little distance away from B C Road, has moved fast in population as well as business growth of late. Till a few months back, illegal shops by the side of the roads and parked vehicles had made it a nightmarish stretch to negotiate. Traffic sub-inspector here, Chandrashekharaiah, who had undertaken detailed study of the problem, had put in his efforts to widen the road at Melkar town and made the area aesthetically appealing. His success in easing the traffic and developing the area had come in for lavish praise.

But the National Highways Authority of India, by failing to take measures to streamline traffic here, has created problems for the people. The people have been saying that this area has turned into virtual deathtrap for the common people. During the last one month, two lives were lost at Melkar. The pedestrians who have no other option but to cross the road here, have to do so at the risk of getting hit by vehicles. Even two-wheelers and light vehicles have become directionless at Melkar because of very wide road where movement of traffic has not been streamlined.

Although the traffic police station of the taluk is located at Melkar, people have been heard complaining that traffic police deployed to contro traffic do not help pedestrians and those who want to cross the roads. This being a national highway, tousands of vehicles use this road every day, and in the past, it was a challenge for the police to regulate movement of traffic. However, traffic jam has become a thing of the past because of road widening. But problem has arisen out of not making suitable a rrangements to properly direct the traffic.

Practical problem

Because of high density of vehicles in the morning and evening hours, young students and senior citizens find it hard to cross the highway at Melkar. The vehicle which want to cross over to Konaje road at Melkar too face lot of hurdles. Therefore, the people seek posting of traffic police during morning and evening hours with proper instructions to handle movement vehicles and people in a smooth manner. There is also a demand for installing traffic signals, and to rein in the habit of stopping private and government buses at the whims and fancies of their drivers to pick passengers. People of Melkar earnestly hope that the police and other departments will work to implement these suggestions and see that the problems are addressed and the roads at Melkar turn safe again.