Highway Median Cut to Make Way for Private Functions at Goldfinch City

Highway Median Cut to Make Way for Private Functions at Goldfinch City

Mangaluru: If you look at DK or for that Mangaluru roads and Highways, they seem like they are designed for disasters. Four-lane, elevated high-speed roads converging at two-lane junctions; intersections at curves; median cuts to serve private interests… Poor road engineering is Mangaluru’s bane, its design nightmare, a sure-shot recipe for disaster on the move. The defects are in-your-face, glaringly obvious. Studies have repeatedly shown how they trigger accidents galore, spark traffic chaos and turn every traffic management plan upside down. Is there a way out? Can a belated course correction have the desired effect? It’s all poor planning!

Now let’s talk about Highway and their safety in India, in our state, in DK and Mangaluru. Imagine having an exit on a busy highway without an additional turn road- but you will see such kind of highway exits, probably only in India, and also in Mangaluru. Here is one such example in Mangaluru, where a median is cut on a busy highway to give way for a couple of events that have taken place recently at this venue, name Goldfinch City, few blocks away from Kulur bridge. By cutting this highway median to make way for vehicles to enter into this venue whenever big parties or events are arranged, not only creates a traffic jam on both sides of the highway, but it is a safety hazard too. Many would ask whether permission from NH authorities or local district administration has been sought to cut the median for private functions.

And even if permission was given by these authorities, one would once again ask how can they do so. The only answer for this would be that rich power, money power, political power, high influence can get things done their way- without looking at the inconveniences, hassles caused to the public, including their safety. How could district administration, or PWD or NH authorities allow anyone to cut a highway median for the benefit of a citizen/citizens who have a function close by? The issue we are talking about is that for the sake of an engagement party of the son of a millionaire Hotelier, which took place a few days ago at Goldfinch City, a portion of the highway median was slit so that vehicles would easily get into the celebration venue.

Is it just because of the money, or political influence or extra personnel influence that this median was cut for the occasion, is in question. But no matter what, a highway is a busy route where motorists can ply at a speed advised by the transport authorities. Now many citizens are asking how could anyone cut a highway median and provide easy access to engagement reception, which is still on hold to get a proper answer. And to make this situation worse, yet another median place on this stretch, very close to the one already set up, has been open which has resulted in traffic jam- and this one is for the benefit of the “Gau Yatra” celebrations going on at the Goldfinch City venue.

But our concerned authorities should realize that just by pleasing the party of the celebrations, you don’t put the rest of the motorists and pedestrians in inconveniences and other hassles. If you look at the venue where the “Gau Yatra” celebrations are held at Goldfinch City, getting across the highway has been a serious and safety issue. When asked with one of the traffic police authority about the present traffic situation, he did not have a proper explanation, but he went to say that they had to cut the median in order to prevent traffic jam. Oh well! Then there should have been a proper planning when this venue was bought and used for business. You don’t cut a highway median every time a mega celebration or event takes place here. It is also learnt that the median was also cut last year for the wedding celebration of a rich city entrepreneur and builder’s daughter.

Yet another problem about our city roads/highways is that frequent curves and changes in gradient have been associated with accident spots. The main roads are found to have deep curves and the minor roads have curves at the intersections with major roads, thereby seriously affecting safety. That most accident black spots are associated with it is proof enough of how dangerous it can get for motorists and pedestrians. Gradient change at intersections puts complex demands on the skills of the drivers. This gets particularly tricky while taking right turns. To tide over this recurring issue, many roads are made one-way. This did work for a few years. But the explosive vehicular growth has put immense pressure on even the widened one-way roads. Surface milling is another critical need before a road is re-asphalted. But it is an alien concept in the City. Water is the biggest enemy of asphalt. Today’s puddle is tomorrow’s pothole.

In conclusion, the authorities should come out with a better solution – but not cut a busy highway median every now and then, and then reconstruct it, and once again cut it for another function- what a joke? How dumb our NH authorities or for that matter, other concerned officials could be?