Bengaluru is notorious for its traffic snarls and now a new report has revealed that the city loses close to Rs 20,000 crore because of problems arising out of traffic congestion and related factors.
The study was conducted by traffic expert MN Sreehari, who is also engaged in advising and developing Smart Cities in the country, and his team. They evaluated Bengaluru's problems surrounding road planning, flyover, traffic management, and infrastructural deficit.
As per a report by NDTV, the study shows that despite having 60 fully functional flyovers, Bengaluru has faced a loss of Rs 19,725 crore because of delays, congestion, stoppages at signals, interference of slow-moving vehicles with fast-moving, fuel loss, occupants' time loss, loss of the vehicle time. The amount was calculated by converting the loss of vehicle time into money based on salary and other factors.
The report noted that the city witnessed an exceptional population growth of 14.5 million and a vehicle population of close to 1.5 crore owing to the increased growth of employment in the IT sector which resulted in the development of all related facilities like housing, education, to name a few. It stated that Bengaluru expanded from 88 square kilometres to 985 square kilometres in 2023. In the report, Sreehari and his team proposed the city expand further to 1,100 square kilometres.
"On the other hand, the road length growth is not in proportion with the vehicular growth and area growth. The total length of the road is about 11,000 kilometres which is not enough to meet our transport demand and trips made," NDTV quoted the report as saying. "The exponential growth of population and their job potential speed could not match with the infrastructural growth that is existing. The gap deficiency has resulted in delays, congestion, higher travel time, and huge economic loss (intangible) in terms of direct and indirect cost."
The team of traffic experts pointed out that the city needs radial roads, ring roads, with specific rings which include ORR, PRR, and STRR for every 5 km of one circular route also which in turn is connected by radial roads. They also suggested more underground-based road systems to cater the road traffic for the next 25 years.
The study also recommended that parking at the roadside be discontinued since roads are meant for traffic and footpaths are meant for pedestrians to walk. "As a transportation expert, I have failed to show even one road in Bengaluru without parking," Sreehari told the publication.
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