BANGALORE: Traffic signals are set to return at KR Circle barely two years after it was made Bangalore’s first signal free corridor. KR Circle is considered to be one of the busiest passageways in Bangalore.A pedestrian underpass was constructed in 2009 on Seshadri Road in front of SJ Polytechnic at the cost of Rs 65 lakhs. The KR Circle junction vehicular underpass connecting Ambedkar Veedhi to Nrupathanga road was opened to the public on 15 June, 2009. The cost of the project according to the BBMP was Rs 2.5 crore. An underpass was also introduced near Maharani College. The rotary system that was introduced, is said to have costed Rs 1 crore. The thousands who travelled through the junction heaved a sigh of relief at having no traffic signals.Now, accepting failure of the plan, the traffic police have submitted a proposal to the BBMP asking for the re-installation of traffic signals.Lakshman, a traffic inspector, who was regulating the traffic at KR Circle junction told City Express, “I do not see the need for traffic signals. I have told my higher officials so. The jam is caused only because of the traffic signal at Nrupathunga Road. They should consider the option of vehicles using the underpass to reach Nrupathunga Road. Another option they should consider is making Nrupathunga Road a signal free region.” When Ramesh a student of Visverwaraya College of Engineering was asked whether the absence of signals is causing difficulty in crossing the roads, he said, “It is not a problem to cross the roads as there are subways. When the traffic signals were there, it was a struggle to make it to the college on time as traffic would be lined up all the way from Maharani College.” Latha, an employee of the Vidhan Soudha said, “There is a jam here at 10 am everyday.Despite that, the movement of vehicles is relatively fast as there are no signals.The re-installation of signals will cost a lot of money and would not aid in the cause of having an area sans traffic jam.” When contacted, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP) said it that it was not their issue. The Additional Commissioner of Traffic Police, Praveen Sood, said, “It is still a matter under consideration. The idea of the elliptical pathway was opposed by us even before it was built. The rotary system acts more like a pendulum.” He also mentioned that all the traffic from Vidhan Soudha was being redirected due to the metro construction, thereby causing the problem. “We have tried every possibility, but nothing has worked. I am 100 per cent sure that the re-installation of traffic signals would ease the traffic.Hence, in time, the circle will be removed,” informed the ACP.
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