Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 10: Severe traffic congestion at the busy Thokkottu junction every evening has become a nightmare for motorists and the general public. Haphazard parking by customers, auto-rickshaws lined up along the roadside, commuters waiting for buses on the road, and unscientific stops made by buses right in the middle of the road to pick up passengers have severely hindered the smooth flow of traffic.

Adding to the misery are the numerous potholes on the road margins, which further shrink the motorable space. Pedestrians are forced to struggle to cross the road safely amid the chaos, while long, unending queues of vehicles cause severe inconvenience to commuters.

Women returning from work, school and college students, and senior citizens are routinely forced to spend hours stuck in the gridlock. Even emergency vehicles like ambulances, along with school buses, often get trapped in the massive traffic jams, leading to mental stress, loss of precious time, and fuel wastage.

Although the traffic police make efforts to manage the vehicle density, the problem continues to worsen day by day without a permanent solution. The public alleges that despite the ever-increasing volume of vehicles on the national highway, the Mangaluru South traffic police, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Ullal City Municipal Council (CMC) have failed to grasp the gravity of the situation and implement proper traffic control mechanisms.

Frustrated by the daily ordeal, citizens have strongly urged the concerned authorities to immediately deploy additional traffic personnel, improve the signal system, clear illegal parking zones, and initiate road widening measures to ensure smooth vehicular movement at the junction.