TNN

Bangalore, Dec 9: 10 am. Traffic is at a standstill, pedestrians move skilfully past the still vehicles to get across the road, two-wheelers sit comfortably on the footpath. The motorists are resigned to the wait. This is the condition of Seshadri Road almost every day of the week.

Seshadri Road, once a calm stretch, is now choked from end to end. During peak hours, traffic usually extends half-way up the flyover. It takes at least half-an-hour to reach the Maharani's College Junction, and the traffic lights turn green more than thrice before a vehicle passes by.

T Krishna, railway superintendent, observes: "Some employees coming from Anand Rao Circle take almost 30 minutes to reach here because of the jam."

Seshadri Road is one of the city's most important roads, connecting many parts of the city from Rajajinagar and Vijayanagar side. It is one of three parallel roads. While traffic on Race Course Road and K G Road is not too heavy, this road alone seems to be bearing all the load. Traffic peaks between 9 am and 12.30 pm and again between 4 pm and 7.30 pm. "Sometimes, even ambulances are unable to get across the road quickly, and it is possible a patient could die," added a manager in the office of the D-G of Prisons, Karnataka.

Thanks to the jam, students of Maharani's College have often missed the first class. "We cannot concentrate in class with the constant blaring of horns," say students G Vidyashree and K Shweta.

Pedestrians complain there in no place to walk, and crossing the road becomes dangerous. The footpath has been dug up on one side, and on the opposite side, two-wheelers occupy the footpath.

Parking is also a serious problem here, with K G Road being the nearest parking zone, and motorists forced to walk all the way.

According to M N Sreehari, traffic adviser and consultant to the government: "The main problem is buses. Every few seconds, one bus leaves Majestic, and the road is blocked, leaving no place for other vehicles. Traffic from Gandhi Nagar and Race Course Road also joins this road, making the situation worse."

Many feel the solution is to cut down trees and expand the road; this work is already under progress. Others feel the flyover could be extended up to K R Circle, while some even suggest an underpass near Maharani's College can do wonders.

Says Sreehari: "Starting April, arrangements will be made to shift the BMTC bus station and reduce overcrowding by buses. Only then can we study the functional value of this road."