Mysore traffic woes: A local's perspective after two decades

My primary mode of transport in the early 2000s were a bicycle and a Kinetic Luna (fondly named Tsunami).

BHPian dailydriver recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

After a significant gap of nearly two decades I have recently shifted back to Mysuru. Much as I adore the city for its contrasting vibes with reference to both the cacophony of Bengaluru and the inane sleepiness of mofussil towns, the traffic situation here worries me a lot.

While it is true that the wide lanes, clearly marked demarcations, four-sided expansion of residential areas and employment hubs and the consequent relief in pressure on the CBD have helped tone down frequent congestions and jams, the utter disregard of the two wheeler riders towards traffic signals and rules frightens and bemuses me at once. A few distinctive features that one can easily notice are:

1. A Pushpa like tilt of head of the rider at all times, necessitated due to his/her need to keep the mobile phone pinned between the ear and the shoulder. It seems as if the wheels won't move unless the rider assumes this position every time the ignition is on.

2. Forget the pillion, even the primary rider is least bothered about wearing a helmet. In Bengaluru, one can at least see hard hats or cheap imitations being passed on as helmets, but here, they don't even try.

3. Three on a bike is a very common sight and so are scenes of underage riding. Especially with the rising popularity of e-scooters, pedestrians must keep their 360° cameras activated at all times.

4. The twin menaces of over speeding and using high beams are ubiquitous. Signal jumping is frequently noticed in certain pockets of the city. Lane discipline isn't particularly favoured but overtaking from the left is! Measures to curb these ills are yet to bear fruit.

5. With the city being a transit hub for Kerala and Tamilnadu, one sees a lot of vehicles from there; much to the glee of the traffic cops. They wait with bated breath and pounce on them, particularly on the innocuous curves of the Ring road which provide them with sufficient spots to play the hide & seek games.

6. City buses do the job of linking even the furthest of places with the CBD, but with the advent of Shakti yojana, it is often difficult to find even standing place inside. This, coupled with the Railway Station, Suburban Bus Stand and City Bus Stand spread over three directions and at considerable distances from each other, the regular commuter is left with little choice other than to rely on personal transport.

7. The few times I have used the app based taxi services, I have found them to be convenient and reasonably priced. The normal auto rickshaws however are a different species altogether. Mostly based on their constant successes in fleecing the tourist populace, they expect even local residents too to shell out hefty sums for even short distances. The less said about their driving etiquette the better.

8. Horse drawn Tongas still abound here, specifically around the Palace area. In the outskirts, bullock carts are still used as means of transportation - mainly construction materials.

Things to know while driving in Mysuru

1. The Ring road has a maximum speed limit of 60kmph. Cops are on watch, especially towards the end of the month.

2. Occasionally, drivers have been penalized for using high beams inside the city. Auxiliary lights and loud exhausts are pretty common candidates for fines.

3. The seat belt rule is strictly enforced for the front seat occupants. So is the compulsory helmet rule for two wheeler riders. Although one may not be stopped at the very moment of violation, the Big Boss is always watching!

A recent report highlights how the roads are under surveillance with the help of 413 cameras of which 55 are AI enabled and 50 equipped with ANPR. The same news feature reveals a startling fact: that a whopping 240 crore rupees in pending fines are due from the citizens to the government!

Courtesy: Star of Mysore

My primary mode of transport in the early 2000s were a bicycle and a Kinetic Luna (fondly named Tsunami). I could reach the nooks and corners of Mysuru in a flash, through a myriad of bylanes and shortcuts. I could do the same even now; just that the boundaries of the said nooks and corners have expanded beyond imagination.

Yet, the city is full of promise and potential. I sincerely hope that it remains true to its calm, cool and leisurely origins and doesn't end up being a photocopy of its hallowed neighbour.

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