[itwasntme]

Just a heads-up that BTP are trialing a new strategy on Bellary Road between CBI Junction / Ganganagar & Hebbal flyover.

All Tumkur / KR Puram - bound traffic needs to take the service road at Ganganagar (i.e. the second mini-flyover itself), as the left fork at the foot of Hebbal flyover has been closed off. This means that the main carriageway between Ganganagar & Hebbal is for Devanahalli / KIAL - bound traffic only.

Unsure if it is a pilot - look for the boards at Ganganagar. A lot of confused motorists are having to proceed to Kodigehalli Gate, and do an u-turn to return to Hebbal for the correct routing.

[hamster]

A bit of off topic considering the thread title, but still sticking with the "current trend" in the thread - MAS vs SBC. My two cents to this.

I had been in Bangalore for 12 years and moved to Chennai about 6 years ago. Few points comparing both the cities.

The Good ones.
Chennai has a lot of escape routes in case there is a major jam in the main road.

Diversions are well planned in Chennai and if it doesnt work, they revert it immediately.

The metro phase 2 construction work is progressing at good speed in areas like Porur, Madipakkam etc. Even my daily commute to office in OMR beyond the ongoing Metro construction is so far easy (touch wood) and seems to be well managed. Comparing the same with ORR Metro construction in Bangalore, it is better.
The tarmac on the main roads of Chennai are definitely better (not just around VIP areas).
CHennai roads are actually much wider in design and in paper.
All unauthorized hawkers, parking has reduced the width of the road to 60%.
Imagine if the above two are brought down, Chennai traffic will be true bliss.

The grey Areas :
The actual effect of the recently built SWDs will be seen only next year, since this year, the NW monsoon didnt have any major effect per se.

There are known bottlenecks always here too - the Madhyakailash Junction, Sholinganallur Junction etc.

Lot of infrastructure projects (state owned) in TN are very slow and gets stuck just like that. The recent ones which are stuck are the two "U" flyovers which are been constructed in OMR in front of TIDEL and the IndiraNagar exit from OMR. I see no progress in both of them for the past two months.
The Velachery flyover(s) suffered for more than 5 years and now its a bliss to travel in the road.

Returning to Chennai after a long weekend is a nightmare still even beyond having multiple escape routes to avoid the bottlenecks.

[wildsdi5530]

Originally Posted by sai_ace

I have a question to those who frequent these two cities - do you guys notice that no matter the best road in Bangalore - the road is never level and there is always this annoying movement in the car.

That is easily explained by science. The ambient temperature in Chennai is much higher than Bengaluru. Thus the Tar on the road is in fluid state in Chennai. This self levels giving a smooth surface. In Bengaluru due to the cold weather, the Tar is more solid and thus bumpy. Since we are so used to this bumpy roads, the govt. has gone 1 step ahead and given us White topped roads which is making to driving on gravel.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Just a heads-up that BTP are trialing a new strategy on Bellary Road between CBI Junction / Ganganagar & Hebbal flyover.

This has been so for the past week. This showcases our preference for having traffic free main carriageways and jam packed service roads. Also the CBI junction is a favourite spot for spot fines and increased traffic will help the dept to collect more revenue. It's all for the good of the public.

[msdivy]

This thread has taken a funny turn. Well, traffic discipline is one of the national integration factors of our country. Our country person would feel at home in any part of the country, when it comes to traffic sense. Now you folks are telling MAS & SBC don't belong here?

[FURY_44]

A victory of sorts for me and my fellow motorists, by decongesting the infamous Gorguntepalya railway overbridge junction.

I am a frequent user of this overbridge over the last couple of months to reach the outer ring road towards Kengeri. I was quite puzzled why there was traffic piled up all the way to BEL circle at any time of the day. At first, I ignored it might be due to the heavy vehicles struggling to climb the scientifically planned and constructed overbridge. With its generous 1-and-a-half lane, traffic formation is in one single line behind a truck/bus, just like the pictures we saw about how the citizens of Mizoram follow traffic and lane discipline.

On my humble Dio, I filtered through all this heavy traffic week in and week out, a paltry 4.6kms from my home to G Palya Jn used to consume 20-40 mins of my time. I even took the loop road from BEL circle, towards HMT, and reach G Palya Jn via Peenya Metro Stn, but that could not be a permanent solution for me, I was losing more time.

With the traffic thinning out in December, I found the culprit who was creating this long line of traffic. The small right just before the entrance to the flyover which connects to Jalahalli village and on the left we have the BMTC bus stand at the exact same spot. So we have traffic who wants to go right, traffic who wants to go straight, and our boss BMTC who wants to block both lanes by stopping in the middle of the road. A perfect combination to make our rides/drives a lot harder.

I tweeted the possible solution to Mr. Kuldeep Kumar R Jain DCP Traffic West on the 9th of Dec 22, and he replied back by tagging the Yeshwantpura BTP handle. A week went by and my solution and tweet were not addressed, the junction was still manned by cops, and the usual traffic till BEL circle still existed. I did a follow-up on 22nd of Dec 22 with Mr. Kuldeep saying the traffic woes at the junction still continue. Surprise! on my commute during the Christmas weekend, I could see the right turn temporarily closed with barricades and cops guiding light vehicles to make a U-turn under the railway overbridge to reach Jalahalli village.

Such simple logic and it took BTP a tweet from a motorist, and common sense to decongest the junction. The junction is now permanently closed with cement blocks and traffic is free-flowing both ways.

Here's my tweet and the present condition of the junction

[am1m]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

A victory of sorts for me and my fellow motorists, by decongesting the infamous Gorguntepalya railway overbridge junction.

Congratulations! This is amazing, you have really made a difference here!

Originally Posted by FURY_44

Such simple logic and it took BTP a tweet from a motorist, and common sense to decongest the junction.

Sadly, the people who have the power to direct such changes seldom use the roads they way the common person uses them, so they don't see the obvious. Politicians and top traffic cops usually have the way cleared for them everywhere they go.

And the people who face the issues everyday, like us and ordinary traffic policemen, seldom have the power to effect the change.

Looks like social media, used well, and when the people in charge are willing to listen, can bridge this gap.

[explorer09]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

A victory of sorts for me and my fellow motorists, by decongesting the infamous Gorguntepalya railway overbridge junction.

Awesome, thats good to know....Actually if you think about it, there are many such places where similar simple solutions can make a huge difference.

A similar thought crossed my mind when I was driving on the Ring road from Vega city towards Kanakapura road...now we have the Dalmia circle flyover and then we have the Puttenahalli underpass. Now I dont understand why we still need those 2 junctions in between to be still operational. Both of those junctions are just a few hundred metres away from either the flyover or the underpass....surely they can permanently close down both these junctions?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

A victory of sorts for me and my fellow motorists, by decongesting the infamous Gorguntepalya railway overbridge junction.

I (and 3 more of my carpool mates) can't thank You enough for this invaluable intervention. This was a big pain point for my daily to and fro office commute.
But I am still thinking why this simple solution was never implemented all these years, in spite of it being available from the time the bridge was built. There was even a thought about expanding the road on the left side of the flyover to implement this 2 years ago and tenders were called. But somehow then it did not see the end of the day. Here is the report on the same: https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.c...w/79118691.cms

They closed this U turn on 22nd December. I had reported this then.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post5462254 (Rants on Bangalore's traffic situation)

[FURY_44]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

They closed this U turn on 22nd December. I had reported this then.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post5462254 (Rants on Bangalore's traffic situation)

What a coincident, because my second follow up was on 22nd Dec. Maybe my tweet finally pushed them to take the plunge.

Anyways, it's a peaceful drive now down to G Palya.

[srkriz26]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

With most of the Bangalore car owners either idling at home or having gone elsewhere to increase traffic jams, the roads are looking quite wide.
===
Let’s enjoy the roads till the 1st Jan before it goes back to what it always is.

Agree. I was able to reach Banashankari Stage 6 from Jakkur in less than 50 mins. It usually takes 1.5 hours without peak traffic.

[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Just a heads-up that BTP are trialing a new strategy on Bellary Road between CBI Junction / Ganganagar & Hebbal flyover.

All Tumkur / KR Puram - bound traffic needs to take the service road at Ganganagar (i.e. the second mini-flyover itself), as the left fork at the foot of Hebbal flyover has been closed off. This means that the main carriageway between Ganganagar & Hebbal is for Devanahalli / KIAL - bound traffic only.

Unsure if it is a pilot - look for the boards at Ganganagar. A lot of confused motorists are having to proceed to Kodigehalli Gate, and do an u-turn to return to Hebbal for the correct routing.

Wish I had seen this before I started to office today. I took the normal route and saw that the KR Puram bound traffic lane had been closed and I had to go all the way to Kodigehalli and make the U turn.

[itwasntme]

While a lot of good work has been done since Mr. Saleem took over, a lot of potential exists!

I want to start reporting all the absurd traffic signals across BLR. So many of them are irrationally programmed or point in the wrong direction; can only imagine what a newbie or non-BLR driver must be feeling!

Both green & red:
In many key intersections, the signal is steady green AND red. What it wants to signal is that you cannot turn right at that signal, only go straight. I don't understand which brainbox thought of this strategy though!

Right / left turn signals:
Again, blinking right or left turn signals are not standardized and nor are the timers. Some simply go off without blinking, others are steady amber to show no-go, others are red.

I'm sure many more instances can be added to this list.

[aqualeo2040]

Originally Posted by FURY_44

A victory of sorts for me and my fellow motorists, by decongesting the infamous Gorguntepalya railway overbridge junction.

Congratulations.
The big challenge at that crossing are those sand/brick trucks. Also, think that break in the median was blessed by our local MLA (Mr M).

It'd be amazing if this stays (trying not to be pessimistic).

I still wonder why they couldn't get a single straight cut at the Goraguntepalya junction for the ORR! what absolute stupidity in the name of a "Ring Road"

[UMe]

Originally Posted by aqualeo2040

Also, think that break in the median.

While I wholeheartedly welcome this move, I would also consider the plight of residents staying on the Muthayala Nagar side of the MES Road. During the rush hour it is very difficult as a pedestrian to cross this stretch of MES road. There is no pedestrian crossing nor sky walk (In fact as per local MLA there is simply no place on both sides of MES Road for a sky walk, hence no solution to this so far). There is 1 private school and a govt school on the other side of the road. I make sure to slow down or stop seeing someone/kids trying to cross the road. But I find vehicles zooming past, like there is no tomorrow.
I don't know why, but I think this is the only stretch of ORR from bel circle until gorguntapalaya where there is no service road concept.

[Pyrotek]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Just a heads-up that BTP are trialing a new strategy on Bellary Road between CBI Junction / Ganganagar & Hebbal flyover.

All Tumkur / KR Puram - bound traffic needs to take the service road at Ganganagar (i.e. the second mini-flyover itself), as the left fork at the foot of Hebbal flyover has been closed off. This means that the main carriageway between Ganganagar & Hebbal is for Devanahalli / KIAL - bound traffic only.

Unsure if it is a pilot - look for the boards at Ganganagar. A lot of confused motorists are having to proceed to Kodigehalli Gate, and do an u-turn to return to Hebbal for the correct routing.

Was a victim of it this morning Let's see if this experiment turns out to be permanent. Next week will be a true test of the results. In the last month and a half, my average commute time for a 30 Km drive one way has been 70-90 minutes in normal hours. Personally, that's better than what it used to be. Whether it's because of the recent experiments by the new traffic police chief or the fact that there might be less people in Bangalore during the holiday month,I don't know.