Rants on Bangalore's traffic situation

[pratyush6]

To put the current situation in perspective - usually this is the time when a lot of people are on leave (for Diwali). I know that quite a few of my friends have leaves for 2 weeks, some are leaving this weekend; and still the traffic is what it is right now.

Add to it, citizens are dying because of accidents caused by craters on the road. I don't know why BBMP and the current Bangalore Minister cannot be made accountable for this. To say the officials are shameless is actually a very mild statement. Building a road is no rocket science - I wonder why this Govt and everyone involved can't get this simple thing right. Coming from a small village in erstwhile Bihar, I saw such bad roads in the 90s and never else.

Going out on a bike is a nightmare. Stay safe guys.

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

To put the current situation in perspective - usually this is the time when a lot of people are on leave (for Diwali). I know that quite a few of my friends have leaves for 2 weeks, some are leaving this weekend; and still the traffic is what it is right now.

Add to it, citizens are dying because of accidents caused by craters on the road. I don't know why BBMP and the current Bangalore Minister cannot be made accountable for this. To say the officials are shameless is actually a very mild statement. Building a road is no rocket science - I wonder why this Govt and everyone involved can't get this simple thing right. Coming from a small village in erstwhile Bihar, I saw such bad roads in the 90s and never else.

Going out on a bike is a nightmare. Stay safe guys.

The words "accountability" and "shame" are not there in the dictionary of those in charge. These words are for people with thin skin. How long will people whine? People have short memory. In another month's time rains will subside, a temporary patch of tar will be sprayed around and it is back to business as usual.

Not that those involved cannot get things done. The corporators, contractors, engineers, builders and ministers all are hand in gloves and ensuring that the city dies a premature death. All that matters is that their coffers should get filled.

Everybody is busy with the elections which are round the corner now. People can wait, roads can wait, raja kaluve/drainages - they are already encroached nothing can be done now. People are dying on roads - blame it on everything except potholes.

Authorities are not from this planet - they have better stuff to do. It is ordinary citizen on the road who is a fool. Roads and potholes are for ordinary mortals. Wade through the muck, work and pay the taxes - do not ask anything back !!!

[shenoytech]

This road is just after Ejipura going towards Sony Signal Koramangala. Water from the Army Grounds on IRR flows towards the Drain near Sony Signal causing flood like situation and Hugh Traffic Jams EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

Sometimes this water overflows through footpath and floods nearby residence and commercial complexes filling basement and damaging Vehicles.

The Drain nearby overflows/breaches and blocks the entire stretch from Maharaja Hotel to Wipro Signal on Koramangala 80ft Road causing property damage and loss of Business.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by shenoytech

The Drain nearby overflows/breaches and blocks the entire stretch from Maharaja Hotel to Wipro Signal on Koramangala 80ft Road causing property damage and loss of Business.

This area was all once known as "Srinivagilu lake", and it was later used to build up all fancy sounding business units and housing units. It is the blatant encroachments and building commercial complexes, housing units without realising the topography of the area which caused this problem.

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by shenoytech

This road is just after Ejipura going towards Sony Signal Koramangala. Water from the Army Grounds on IRR flows towards the Drain near Sony Signal causing flood like situation and Hugh Traffic Jams EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

Originally Posted by sachinpk

This area was all once known as "Srinivagilu lake", and it was later used to build up all fancy sounding business units and housing units. It is the blatant encroachments and building commercial complexes, housing units without realising the topography of the area which caused this problem.

I have a map of Bangalore from 1980, which shows this area and parts of Koramangala 4th Block - S.T.Bed - as a mix of wetlands and fields. This is a natural low lying area, so water is just following the topography.
The name "S.T.Bed" should be clue enough. It stands for Srinivagilu Tank Bed.

[90Horses]

This is what a car and human has to go through day in and day out, this road was in this condition from 2 years , it was never pothole free. Rains, tippers and heavy vehicles ruined this road to unprecedented levels. Have a look at the video, this is just one-of-roads in Bangalore, many cousins of this road flourish and blossom day by day.

https://youtu.be/KbHMDoG4deg

[ROG_AK]

Originally Posted by 90Horses

This is what a car and human has to go through day in and day out, this road was in this condition from 2 years , it was never pothole free. Rains, tippers and heavy vehicles ruined this road to unprecedented levels. Have a look at the video, this is just one-of-roads in Bangalore, many cousins of this road flourish and blossom day by day.

Wow that is some crazy stuff! It's impossible to make out how deep any of those potholes are, the people on bikes are going through hell. Someone using the road for the first time will definitely have to pray to the almighty and take the plunge I guess BBMP should make road signs marking a safe path through the craters

[AltoLXI]

What was once a beautiful city has now turned into a mess. Everybody is to blame for this. When commercial interests take precedence over decent living, this is what is bound to happen.

One of three things that can kill a city:
1. When there are no good engineers/planners who understand the city's topography. I still believe engineers/planners in 18th and 19th century were better than the current generation lot.
2. When there are good engineers/planners who can understand but their hands are tied by vested interests.
3. When there are good engineers/planners and also supporting bureaucracy/elected representatives but people and commercial interests force them to go with the flow.

I suppose it is the combination of 2 and 3 above.

An online magazine had an article recently outlining Bengaluru's topography, its history and subsequent downward spiral towards self destruction.

This sums it up:

The rain-fed tanks connected with each other through a system of canals or raja kaluve that prevented flooding by taking advantage of the contours of the land, carrying overflow downhill. The British adopted these methods in the Bangalore Cantoment area in the 19th century, constructing Sankey and Millers Tank. A map of Bangalore from 1935 shows as many canals as roads, and dozens of lakes where sports stadiums, bus stations and residential layouts now sprawl. By the mid-20th century, however, Bangalore was beginning to feel a land crunch in addition to its water crunch. Reclaiming land from water bodies “was a sharp trend in the latter part of the 20th century,” says D’Souza

With extensive construction, encroachment of lakes and with no chance for the rain water to seep into the earth, we are seeing the after effects.

Today, Bangalore’s uneven terrain is most obvious when it rains, as the streets in low-lying areas (often reclaimed from lake beds) inevitably flood. The valleys of Bangalore are now conduits for sewage rather than irrigated water, and they still dump their effluents into Bangalore’s remaining lakes.

Link:

https://thewire.in/2342/beneath-the-foam-and-fire/

If "global warming is to be believed" and this happens:

But a series of long-term studies have shown the number of extreme rainfall events in South Asia increasing while low-to-moderate events are decreasing. And increasingly erratic and extreme weather is precisely what scientists expect climate change will bring.

Link : http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36989173

or this:

Simulations of future climate generally suggest an increase in monsoon rainfall on a seasonal mean, area-average basis. This is due to the twin drivers of an increasing land-sea thermal contrast, but more importantly, warming over the Indian Ocean which allows more moisture to be carried to India. Typically increases in total rainfall over India may be in the region of 5-10%, although some climate models suggest more and some less. Climate simulations also show different patterns of rainfall change, so it is difficult to predict how rainfall might change within India.

A 5-10% change in total rainfall sounds small – does it really matter to life in India? The Indian monsoon is remarkably stable as a whole, with a mean total of around 850mm in the months of June to September, and an interannual (year-to-year) variation of only around 10% in most cases. Even these relatively small variations in the Indian monsoon can influence things like agricultural production and the stocks and commodities market, so a 5-10% change on top could have significant impacts.

Link: https://www.rmets.org/weather-and-cl...anging-climate

then combined with the lack of foresight, the city is doomed.

A satellite image of Bengaluru shows land use vs green cover over the years:

[shenoytech]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

I have a map of Bangalore from 1980, which shows this area and parts of Koramangala 4th Block - S.T.Bed - as a mix of wetlands and fields. This is a natural low lying area, so water is just following the topography.
The name "S.T.Bed" should be clue enough. It stands for Srinivagilu Tank Bed.

With Storm water(SWD) or Raja Kaluve which is running parallel to Koramangala 80 Ft Road, here every Apartment or Complexes built on both sides are within touching distance of the Drain wall with parking area built well below the drain resulting in flooding. Ironically, they even pump the water back into the drain.

In last 10 years of my presence here, I have never seen such battering received by one area every single day for a month due to natures fury to punish man for his greed. It was Mohammed Ali vs ST Bed, one sided contest.

[motorsan]

Originally Posted by 90Horses

This is what a car and human has to go through day in and day out, this road was in this condition from 2 years

Google Maps suggests an alternative to the above road to go to RMZ ecoworld, through Adarsh Palm Retreat. But it is blocked by private guards, atleast in the mornings. I have observed that drivers who try to take the Adarsh route to go towards RMZ ecoworld side are shooed away by the private guards stationed at the start of the road. I have doubts if blocking a thoroughfare like that is allowed, as the roads inside residential layouts are supposed to be public roads as per BBMP rules.

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by motorsan

I have doubts if blocking a thoroughfare like that is allowed, as the roads inside residential layouts are supposed to be public roads as per BBMP rules.

There is no concept called gated community

The former BBMP Commissioner, Siddaiah, a civic expert says, "There is no concept like a gated community. They shall be part of the city. If gated communities are blocking traffic and causing inconvenience to the public they must be demolished. Is there no safety and security for those leaving outside the gate? It is not a defense establishment to put up a board that says entry prohibited."

http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.co...w/50430665.cms

[OrangeCar]

Originally Posted by motorsan

I have doubts if blocking a thoroughfare like that is allowed, as the roads inside residential layouts are supposed to be public roads as per BBMP rules.

Agreed. As far as I know, such roads are supposed to be public roads as per BBMP rules.

I am not sure how to take it up with authorities to stop this nuisance.
Everyday, I see people being sent away.

[AltoLXI]

Metamorphical !

The note on auto says : "If the Govt can call the potholes as roads, will it be wrong to call my auto as helicopter?"

Badal Nanjundaswamy is back ! According to ANI, Mr Nanjundaswamy's unique protest comes after at least four deaths were reported over the past week in accidents caused by potholes.



https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/in-beng...t-site-1762510

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by 90Horses

This is what a car and human has to go through day in and day out, this road was in this condition from 2 years , it was never pothole free. Rains, tippers and heavy vehicles ruined this road to unprecedented levels. Have a look at the video, this is just one-of-roads in Bangalore, many cousins of this road flourish and blossom day by day.

Amazing. The Army should use it as their urban warfare proving grounds for the Tatra heavy movers. Interesting to see that nearly all the cars were yellow boards.

[srishiva]

If you look at buildings on ORR and whitefield areas, where are the specifications of having percentage of area as roads, parks etc ? (of public consumption). If layouts have to follow these specifications, why not these gated tech parks or housing communities which occupy the same area or even more than small layouts ?

I dont believe in private layouts and private developments. They use the smaller village era roads and block a huge area out. There can be new roads going through or any new big roads around those developments. You can see this around ORR and old airport road going towards varthur.

The maps showing the decline of green area is misleading. You can see solid red in the middle of the first picture. That was the size of Bengaluru then and the green areas were villages. The red areas just expanded as the city expanded. They should have maintained the green areas in between but then its land, pricier and precious.

Even now people who are worried cant do anything. People who are supposed to dont care. Its like in the movies where a goon will look at a common man and ask "what you going to do ? uh... what you... going..... to... do.... Well we have a thread where we rant..