Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP/HB)

Udupi, Sep 7: Because of increasing density of vehicular traffic in the city, movement of people and vehicles have be rendered difficult. While the issue of ever increasing vehicles on limited roads available in the city have been creating traffic snarls, the scenario at the main junction in the city outskirts is quite different. Unscientific bend on the national highway, absence of service road, absence of traffic signal and shortage of traffic policemen have been giving rise to havoc there on a daily basis. The traffic police are extremely tired by the time they handle the maddening movement of vehicles there. Strangely, this is a routine affair, and not confined to any particular day.

After the corona19-related lockdowns, people have preferred to move around in their own vehicles rather than depending on public transport. Naturally this has contributed to traffic jams both in the mornings and evenings in the city. Traffic jams have become a common occurrence in places like Kalsanka junction, city bus stand, Ambalpady junction etc. But the situation at Kallianpur junction at Santhekatte in the city outskirts is grave to say the least.

This is the scene at this junction that was photographed at 9 am on Monday September 6. People have been blaming the district administration, highway police and traffic police for the chaos here. Even at 9 am, not a single traffic police personnel was present.

If one vehicle gets stranded across the road in an attempt to take a turn, a long line of vehicles is formed immediately and almost everyone is seen honking impatiently. There is no bus stand at the junction and the people have to stand on the divider, waiting for their buses. Because of this, the people had to suffer in the middle of a traffic block.

Senior officials in the traffic police department say that a person who wants to cross the road at the junction, has to have a clear view of what is happening around him in all directions. Heavy vehicles which all of a sudden make an appearance at the junction, take the pedestrians by surprise. At least eight traffic police personnel are needed to manage the traffic here. The traffic police are also compelled to arrange for the smoothie passage of vehicles carrying dignitaries and people's representatives in between. These things have posed a challenge to the traffic police department too, the officials admit.

The locals, passengers, and pedestrians have urged the district administration to intervene and find a permanent solution to the problem at Santhekatte Kallianpur junction at the earliest.