The Hindu

• Often, vehicles are parked on the zebra crossings
• Crooked pavements add to the problems of pedestrians
• Bus stop project has not taken off as yet

Mangalore, Jan 11: Mangalore city may boast of a good public transport system, but none of the authorities appear to be paying any attention to pedestrians, who seem to the most harrowed lot on the roads.

Most zebra crossings in the city are occupied by vehicles stopping at traffic signals. Sometimes, pedestrians have to navigate through a maze of vehicles to reach the other side of the road. The traffic police, however, do not seem to be doing anything about it.

At many traffic intersections, including PVS circle, Lalbagh, Hampankatta, GHS Road intersection and Ambedkar circle although there are zebra crossings, most do not provide a safe passage. Near Wenlock hospital, the situation is almost always bad for pedestrians, who are allowed only a short time to cross the road due to the four-way traffic movement. This intersection is also almost always heavily crowded as the road leads to the central market.

Crooked pavements are another big problem for pedestrians. The pavement between Hampankatta circle and the end of K S Rao Road has an uneven surface and at many places disappears altogether, forcing pedestrians right into the path of heavy traffic. According to police sources, the department has requested Mangalore City Corporation on many occasions to make efforts to restore the pavements, but nothing has been done.

Even the bus stop project has not taken off in the city. According to the plan, 220 well-lit and modern bus shelters were to have built both in and around the city. The aim was to help commuters climb on dismount from buses safely. But even this programme has not yet been completed.