[shankar.balan]

I saw this article and thought to myself - what a sea change in this peaceful, green and lovely city. The worst of it is that all this nonsense has happened between 2003 and now - less than a decade.
Unbridled construction, no concept of zoning, a humongous influx of people from all over the country, crazy habits and attitudes which may work elsewhere but are strange to the average Bangalorean, lack of common decency, courtesy and good manners, lack of quality infrastructure and far greater pressures of work etc - all these have a part to play in this scenario.

Very sad. Hope it improves going forward!

[ghodlur]

I guess people in every city in India would proclaim about the worst traffic in their cities. I dont think the survey by TOI holds any relevance.

During my recent visit to Banaglore, I found the behaviour completely normal in all places except the usually notorious places such as MG Road etc. I thought with the advent of Metro, traffic in B'lore should have become normal. Also the introduction of Metro itself is a huge boost to the infrastructure of the city. Look at Mumbai, years and years the Metro is still being constructed.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by vinair

Lack of internet connectivity in Bangalore??? Are you sure buddy??? Every other notice stuck on the walls or lamp posts is that of a internet service provider!

Yep, I heard 2nd hand from many colleagues and friends who have had to to wait months until a SP lays cables into the area. Now of course some cable TV wallah like ACT has also started offering Internet. And from my 1st hand experience, as I waited for my turn in the chair facing a senior BSNL executive - the local corporators hire goons to snatch the tools of the road digging cable laying contract staff to extort hafta money from them. A complainant had come to his office asking why BSNL cable laying was not done since last one year in his locality, and this was the situation being described by the officer.

Yes the same corporators who will stand next to you or facing you on a stage and sing the national anthem or give speeches exhorting progress and development.

--Rahul

[vb-saan]

Every city will have its share of traffic problems, and I don’t think Bangalore is drastically different from any other Indian cities.

But yes, when I visited Bangalore a couple of years back, one worrying aspect I noticed is the total disregard for pedestrian safety.
It was quite appalling to see well dressed men on motorbikes and scooters riding through the pedestrian footpath, so that they can avoid traffic lines, and squeeze into the front row.

[srishiva]

The photo printed in the TOI article is not from Bengaluru, looks like Chennai with yellow autos.
Only Chennai of all the cities compared has the same size and vehicle numbers (but not in two wheelers where Bengaluru has the maximum in the country).

[aaggoswami]

1) This survey is aimed more towards pedestrians. Well, when we are not even safe on two wheelers, how can we expect safety while we are on foot ?

2) These surveys are not always reliable. First of all, they have considered only 7 cities out of many in India which is not sufficient to give Bangalore the worst rating.

Never believe in these surveys unless they are very widely done with proper analysis.

3) Motoring sense is absent all over India, and this is a fact, whether its Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, A'bad, Surat, Delhi, ...the list goes on.
We lack proper motoring sense and this even indicates our culture to the core. There actually is no point in concluding which city has worst manners. The simple answer is that all over India sense is missing.

We can find two wheeler coming on wrong side or an SUV costing Rs. 25 lakh coming on wrong side. Irrespective of education level or social status, driving sense is ABSENT.

[sumathindra]

I have been driving in Bangalore for almost 15 years now. There are a few observations which I think contribute to the situation today we are in.

1. Immense increase of traffic from within and external entries.
2. Lack of proper exit and entry road systems results in chaotic traffic.
3. Road rage due to DUI, arrogance, speed thrills, etc.
4. Lack of proper police personal and training, in my opinion they are seriously outnumbered by the sheer increase of vehicles.
5. Governance is also not taking adequate measures in regulating the inflow of vehicles on the roads.
6. We have more number of "educated illiterates" driving on Bangalore roads
7. Finally we have to start imposing strict law and order policies and adhear to it at any cost. When Bangalore gets credited as the most happenning city, IT capital, more jobs etc. it must then have policies to govern the masses.

Let every motorist on Bangalore roads make a difference and own responsibility, trust me it will be the same old Bengaluru we all once loved

Finally the people who get caught in this are the pedistrians, kids, old folks. I really feel very sorry for them.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Pune scoring higest in the walkability factor is a shocker. This itself makes me question the report.

Also not sure on what basis were the cities selected for the survey??

Ah come on!
The roads in Pune are not the best, but barring the few high traffic main roads - the rest are great for walking. (Peth area has certain one ways and no vehicle roads, and the rest of the city is not as congested)
And the cycle track in the left side of the road / pavement only helps ...

You need to compare with Bangalore (haphazard), Delhi (real hazard), Bombay (no place).


Perhaps your context was the IT hub area of Pune - Hinjewadi?

[Coolman]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

IMHO if one goes to "any" city in India, the people of that city would proudly claim about two things.
1. No university is more hopeless than our university.
and
2. If one can drive in our city, he can drive anywhere in the world

Point #2 is generally what we get get to hear from a good number of people from most cities / towns in India.

However, I haven't had as much an experience with Point#1, and people have either spoken positively about universities in their place or not spoken at all. Not that people haven't spoken in negative, but not in bigger percentages...

Originally Posted by sirius1845

I have been driving in Bangalore for last 5 years and my opinion is that there is certainly a lack of disregard for pedestrian safety from a minority of motorists, however it is also a mixed bag. Bangalore is certainly not the worst in pedestrian safety.

@sirius1845

"... there is certainly a lack of disregard for pedestrian safety..." I presume you are trying to say - "lack of regard"

To add, A good share of traffic woes in the country, courtesy:

2-wheelers:

• A good % of 2-wheelers do not necessarily use indicators while changing lanes.
• A good number of them zip (zig-zag) through between vehicles.
• A considerable number of them ride while speaking on their mobile phones.

Auto rickshaws:

• All the points mentioned above, plus,
• Only a small % of autos have working indicators and brake lights. Mostly, these autos are less than an year old.
• Absolutely no emission standards followed.
• These drivers do not believe that other vehicles ever change lanes and zip past with only a finger's gap.
• They can stop wherever they want, turn wherever they want, even if that means asking / ordering other vehicles to break traffic rules while doing so.

4 wheelers:

• Car Owners might feel relieved, the number of offenders are lesser. This might be (to some extent) because they have better traffic sense and are better citizens, but this is more due to the limitations one has while driving a 4 (or more) wheeler, which makes it difficult to break traffic rules (zip through, zig-zag, start-stop and so on...)
• Cabs and Taxis do it to some extent, but they are outnumbered by the sheer talented bunch of 2-wheelers and Autos running around.

Thanks,
C_

[ottocycle]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

2. Jo hamaare shahar mein gaadi chala sakta hai, woh puri duniya mein kahin bhi gaadi chala sakta hai, kyunki hamaare yahan se bura traffic sense kahin bhi nahi hai. (If one can drive in our city, he can drive anywhere in the world).
Need one say more.

This is absolutely correct. I have seen people from Hyderabad speaking the same. And I have seen my people from my native Varanasi as well stressing the same point. Not to mentioned, my relatives staying in Mumbai echoing the same voice.

This means only one thing. None of the cities in India have proper driving manners. There can't be a comparison between which city is better and which is bad.

[Blue_V]

Always felt that poor roads are the cause of half the problems. Bangalore roads are most of the the times being dug up after being given a fresh coast of tar, then the vehicles are at the mercy of this road swerving around it or pussy footing or rallying through it , and they patch it up after you picked a crop of your choice. Have to say, sympathy to the poor roads of bangalore.