[binand]

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle7885531.ece

I am appalled at this state of affairs.

[hillsnrains]

Yesterday it was another new low in commuting around Whitefield. My horror goes like this:5+ hours commute for Manipal Hospital (Office) - Vydehi Junction (kids school) - Graphite Junction (home)

Started at Manipal @4.35 PM and reached Kundalahalli colony by 5.10 PM. I was pleasantly surprised and have no idea of the hell waiting for me.
From Kunadalahalli (Hanuman temple) to Vydehi junction it took 1 hr 30 minutes. I picked my kid @7.00 PM from daycare and reached Graphite signal @9.30 PM. I parked my car near to Telerad Rx Dx and walked to my house. Later after dinner around 11.30 PM, I drove car back to home

Here are my lessons:
1. Never take short cuts, especially 1.5 or 2 lane streets (I did this mistake)
2. Always have fuel above 1/4th level
3. Do have some food/snacks and water especially when you are travelling with kids

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by binand

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle7885531.ece

I am appalled at this state of affairs.

What if all the residents of Whitefield, Koramangala, Bellandur etc..file a petition against the govt in the High Court for the apathy of bangalore road conditions rather than staging a demonstration in front of CM's office/home that will have no effect. Just my thoughts.
I really pity those kids.

[suresh_gs]

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/banga...w/49808467.cms

Will this saved amount be utilized for restoring many of the broken roads in bangalore that includes both interior and main roads??

[etrast75]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

What if all the residents of Whitefield, Koramangala, Bellandur etc..file a petition against the govt in the High Court for the apathy of bangalore road conditions

And what will come of that. Court will pass some judgement asking the govt to fix some things.. The govt will give some undertaking in the court and they will do something without giving any details. Time passes and everyone will forget it till the next time something like this happens.
To fix the problem, you need to understand the root cause of issues and have the political and administrative will to fix them. How about no more tech parks, no more 1000+ apartment complexes, no more schools in the area till alternate roads are built, existing roads are fixed and widened and well engineered interchanges built at junctions? I am willing to bet any amount of money with anyone at any odds that nothing will change..
What we have now is a network of village roads that were used by a population about 0.1% of what it is today. Nothing has been done to build new roads and nothing will be done in the near future. The builders have literally bought BBMP.. Nothing else can explain the approvals being given to build new buildings in already choked areas.
The only thing that may work is for a high court to stay all new approvals in these areas till the govt gives a plan to fix the traffic problem.. Will that happen? Fat chance...
Will people do anything? Not in the culture we have been bought up.. When was the last time the locality people in a urban city rose up and said enough is enough...
I hope I can survive in this city till my kid completes his 10th standard and get out before it becomes an urban wasteland.
Meanwhile, we can only rant and hope that there is some messiah with miracles in the wings.

Originally Posted by venkyhere

A worthy addition to the "mad junction" club would be the sarjapur rd - haralur rd junction (opp big bazar store) - truly lunar.

This junction should be case study on how not to do urban planning. Haralur road, for those you do not know, is a 30 feet 2 lane road at its widest and a 10 feet road at its narrowest with a single entry point through sarjapur road. There are about 10-20K apartments in various stages of construction inside the localities that can be accessed through this road and this road only. This junction was relatively easy to cross 1 year ago when coming from ORR. Nowadays you are lucky if you cross the stretch between sarjapur signal and haralur road (probably 500 meters) in less than 15 minutes at any point of day. The situation is so bad that the backup starts at the signal itself and the police switch off the signal so as to not a cause a grid lock. So if you are coming from HSR layout, the backup starts at iblur.
Add to that our wonderful driving discipline where the people who need to turn right into haralur road will block the entire carriageway . Even people who have no business in haralur road cannot get through. Add to that the craters in the road and the two wheelers trying to sneak through the tiniest gap, it is actually a wonder that I do not get a heart attack driving this stretch every day.

[sidzz]

where's the traffic today?
all empty road in whitefield.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by sidzz

where's the traffic today?
all empty road in whitefield.

I guess work from home for all office goers and schooling from home for school kids. That will be the norm for the future generation of Bangalore.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by etrast75

This junction should be case study on how not to do urban planning. Haralur road, for those you do not know, is a 30 feet 2 lane road at its widest and a 10 feet road at its narrowest with a single entry point through sarjapur road... Add to that our wonderful driving discipline ... the craters in the road and the two wheelers trying to sneak through the tiniest gap...

Amen to that! You should never forget the overloaded autos. They're driven by arrogant, irresponsible, deadly scum. Hardly any of them have working lights - even headlights, most of them have not paid the tax, and all of them are seen carrying at least 6 people and at breakneck speeds. Haralur Road and Hosa Road (Central Jail Road/Amrita college road) are infested with these kind of contraptions.

[raghuram.cg]

Originally Posted by sidzz

where's the traffic today?
all empty road in whitefield.

I crossed the KR Puram station an hour ago towards Silk Board and saw that the road going left towards whitefield was piled up , in fact it was difficult for folks going towards Silk board to ascend the flyover. Maybe the reason for empty whitefield ?

[etrast75]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

I guess work from home for all office goers and schooling from home for school kids. That will be the norm for the future generation of Bangalore.

It may be tongue in cheek today but the day is not far away where we have to virtual school our kids using technology. My kid's school is about 12 kms away from home in the sarjapur-varthur-whitefield belt. When year started, bus left home at 7:15 and kid came back home at around 4. Traffic become a problem as year progressed and the school moved up the timings. Now bus leaves at 7 from home and leaves school at 3 PM. Even that is becoming a problem nowadays in the evenings.. What next? Leave home at 6:30 and leave school at 2:30 PM.. How about second shift school from 11 PM to 6 AM?
I have been living in bangalore for about 7 years now. The last one year has seen the situation go from bad to worse in every facet of life , be it traffic, water, garbage, pollution.. Things were not this bad even 18 months ago..

[dark.knight]

Watching Bangalore's traffic reminds me of a certain song, this song was used to portray politics & bureaucracy in America but well governments are all the same most places. I'm not really the greatest fan of metal but Megadeth sure made some brilliant songs back in the day :

You take a mortal man ; And put him in control
Watch him become a god ; Watch people's heads a'roll : A'roll, A'roll
Just like the pied piper led rats through the streets, we dance like marionettes, Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction

Acting like a robot, its metal brain corrodes ; You try to take its pulse
Before its head explodes, Explodes, Explodes
Just like the pied piper led rats through the streets, we dance like marionettes, Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction

Lyrics by the brilliant Dave Mustaine.

[NPV]

We have high profile individuals as crusaders and activists for so many useless (non)issues, why not even one for good infrastructure in Bangalore ?

We even have a minister for Bangalore (mis)development! Sir, if you read this, please visit and get your convoy to drive on ITPL main road from Tin Factory junction to Hope(less) Farm junction and you will know what I mean.

We pay the highest road tax and get the most pathetic roads!

[Rajeevraj]

Here is an excellent article that summarizes the mess we are in

Dear city leaders: something is rotting in the city of Bengaluru



The authors are Citizen Activists who have done/are doing/ are trying to do a lot of good work. But it is an up hill struggle.

[FuelInjector]

Originally Posted by binand

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle7885531.ece

I am appalled at this state of affairs.

this is sacrilege. More surprised that the bus driver is asking kids to walk home in the rain. School buses are definitely a mode of transport - but more importantly "safe mode of transport" for the protection of children of parents who find it hard to drop them at school. The school is committed to the safety of the child till they get off at their respective stop. Child safety is an important topic - especially these days.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by etrast75

My kid's school is about 12 kms away from home in the sarjapur-varthur-whitefield belt. When year started, bus left home at 7:15 and kid came back home at around 4. Traffic become a problem as year progressed and the school moved up the timings. Now bus leaves at 7 from home and leaves school at 3 PM. Even that is becoming a problem nowadays in the evenings.. What next? Leave home at 6:30 and leave school at 2:30 PM.. How about second shift school from 11 PM to 6 AM?

Really not worth stressing children like this, please do consider moving to a home closer to the school or moving the child to a school that's closer to the home.
This makes a lot of sense and I can guarantee that from my own first-hand experience