Mangaluru: Frequent blocks /accidents in Mangaluru traffic circles

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 09, 2015: Frequent jams and blocks are turning out to be motorists’ nightmare. Rush-hour traffic saw unending gridlocks at Hampankatta, Nanthoor Circle and KPT Junction from 11am till 8 pm.

 

 

 

The grid lock started with a small accident at Nanthoor Circle in the morning, leading to choked traffic throughout the day right from KPT Junction a km away to Pumpwell Circle, both equidistant from Nanthoor Circle.

Mangaluru City Traffic Police (MCTP) Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Uday Nayak, says this is almost a regular phenomenon on weekends and Monday’s where the exit roads get choked due to outgoing and incoming traffic with roads joining Nanthoor Circle not having enough width for smooth movement of traffic.

Pointing out at Kottara Chowki, he said a flyover there and at Kuntikana has helped zero blocks or gridlocks at those junctions. ``Unless a flyover or an underpass is done, the situation will continue and will worsen over time,’’ he said.

The road gradient at Nanthoor Circle has also led to fatal accidents and minor accidents happen daily. In February this year, three persons, two from a family, were killed and three more sustained grievous injuries when a tipper rolled over a car and a two wheeler at Nanthoor Circle after the driver lost control over the vehicle due to over speeding. The impact was such that the car was a mangled mess and the victims were extricated by public with great difficulty.

Though NHAI has installed signal lights in September they have not started functioning as yet. NHAI project Director Vijay Kumar had got special permission from NHAI Head Quarters to install the lights as the junction, where two NHs converge. The cost of the installation is roughly about Rs 10 lakh.

Nayak says signal lights will not help may aggravate the situation. As of now three to five police personnel including police sub inspectors man the area on weekends - wasting precious manpower at a junction where a underpass would have ensured smooth flow of traffic.