Speeding vehicles cause accidents on poorly designed road in Ullal
Bellie Thomas, Bengaluru, DH News Service, Sep 2 2017, 1:20 IST
A muddy hump created by residents on an intersection in Visvesvaraya Layout. DH-FILE PHOTO
Asphalt of major roads in Visvesvaraya Layout, West Bengaluru, without installation of proper signage, warnings or humps has increased the risk for pedestrians and motorcyclists as cars and heavy vehicles from all the directions cross the intersections at top speed.
V Vaidyanathan, an 88-year-old professor of German at Ramaiah College, was tossed up into the air after being hit by a speeding car near the Ullal lake bus stop two weeks ago. He sustained grievous injuries and died on the spot. The car driver didn't stop. A few motorcyclists gave it a chase and managed to note down its registration number. But before the police arrived, angry local residents summoned an earthmover and cut into the newly laid road just before the intersection, creating a muddy hump. Still, accidents haven't stopped.
On Monday night, a speeding motorcyclist failed to notice that the hump had been dug up. He lost control of the two-wheeler and suffered grievous injuries on the head. He lay bleeding profusely for at least 20 minutes before someone took him to the hospital in an auto-rickshaw.
Residents say the intersection has turned into a death trap. “Accidents are not new to this junction. Up to three accidents happen every day and we always hope there is no loss of life,” said Rakshit Prabhakar, a resident. There were more than 10 non-fatal accidents reported at and near the intersections in the past one week's time.
Rajath Shivamurthy, a regular commuter of the stretch, says the intersection needs humps on all the four sides since vehicles coming from the approach roads are not visible. If not humps, they should at least put up barricades, he added.
He continued: “The visibility of vehicles is further masked by trees on the road divider. Crossing the road is a death trap as fast-moving cars zip across the junction in no time.”
A senior officer from the jurisdictional Byadarahalli police station said he would instruct BDA officials and KLE Society's Law College to put up warning boards and reflector signage.
Yeshwantpur MLA Somashekar S T told DH: “The BDA is developing all roads in Visvesvaraya Layout and will hand it over to the BBMP. I will visit the spot and instruct the authorities to do all that is necessary."