MCC corporators want arterial roads to be one-way improve traffic congestion

MCC corporators want arterial roads to be one-way improve traffic congestion

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 28, 2017: Corporators of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) have stressed the need to make some of the city’s arterial lanes one-way to ease traffic congestion.

At the second meeting organised to discuss solutions to the city’s mobility woes, chaired by mayor Kavita Sanil, corporator Vinay Raj AC pointed out that some of the thoroughfares had been converted into one-way streets on trial basis three years ago. "The idea was dropped owing to political pressure. If it’s effectively implemented in the city, there will be less congestion," Raj added.

The other councillors in attendance at the meeting seconded Raj’s observations. The mayor said that, following the decisions taken at the first meeting on the traffic problems in the city, MCC had placed 48 speedbreakers at key locations across the city, based on the recommendations of Mangaluru City Traffic Police (MCTP).

However, deputy commissioner of police (crime and traffic) Sanjeev M Patil said that more needed to be done in order to ensure safety on the city’s roads. "It’s not enough just to place spedbreakers. We need caution boards, while road humps needed to be painted white stripes, such measures will reduce accidents," he added.

MLA JR Lobo directed MCC officials to ensure that signboards and road markings were in place near schools and hospitals within a week.

On the other hand, another corporator suggested to the mayor that roads in the city needed to be widened. Another councillor asked the MCTP to take action against tourist buses entering the city, and holding up traffic.

Responding to a query on parking basements being used for commercial activities, DCP Patil said, "A detailed report on this violation has been obtained through an RTI query, and has been submitted to the MCC."

When a corporator asked Sanil to make the contents of the report public, she said, "I am willing to disclose the report, but do not use your influence to prevent action being taken against them."

Lobo pointed out that the mayor had been going around the city, and was personally supervising removal of illegal parking setups in front of commercial establishments. "It’s the MCC officials who need to be doing this, not the corporators," Lobo added.

Corporators also demanded that the mayor initiate action against food trucks that were operating without a valid licence