Traffic jams at the Bhagwan Mahaveer (Pumpwell) junction could be a thing of the past soon as the Mangalore City Corporation is creating a temporary bus bay there.
This has been an important and a busy junction in the city where the roads from Udupi, Bangalore, and Kasaragod join. Five key roads meet here.
There have been frequent traffic jams near the junction, particularly at the point it meets B.C. Road. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Uday Nayak said buses going towards Bangalore had been stopping at the bus stop next to a hotel near the junction, creating a cascading impact that would affect the vehicular movement. Buses usually stopped one behind another on this narrow stretch. “The problem is all the more severe if three buses stop one behind the other. This has been a recurring feature,” Mr. Nayak said.
Kankanady Councillor Pravin Chandra Alva said students of Capitanio School, located 200 metres away, bore the brunt of traffic jams To overcome this, the Mangalore City police proposed to the Mangalore City Corporation to create a temporary bus bay on the open space next to the culvert at the junction. “This space had been a place to dump waste and also used by some street vendors. Six buses can be parked on this,” Mr. Nayak said.
Mayor Mahabahla Marla, who visited the spot along with local councillor and officials a few days ago, accepted the proposal. Mr. Marla said the corporation would construct a makeshift shelter for commuters. “We cannot have any permanent structure road-widening work of National Highways Authority of India is on. This will be a temporary measure.” Mr. Marla said.
