Dark & Dangerous: Ring roads now a nightmare

Bengaluru: Outer Ring Road and Intermediate Ring Road stretches have become unsafe for motorists, especially during night, as proper traffic infrastructure, like blinkers, hooters, amber lights or cat’s eyes, are absent. 

Pedestrians jaywalk on the poorly lit roads, risking their lives and those of the motorists.

The ongoing elevated flyover work has made driving on the Intermediate Ring Road nightmarish. 

Most of the reflectors have worn out and motorists find it difficult to negotiate curves often crashing into road medians and footpaths.

Work on the flyover in progress at Ejipura near Koramangala

Roopa, a college student and a resident of Sarjapur, said, “It is very risky to take the ORR and IRR stretches in the night, as most of the signals on major junctions do not work. Also, pedestrians suddenly appear out of nowhere and try to cross the road.”

Abhishek, a resident of Koramangala and a private company employee, said that most of these stretches do not have proper streetlights, reflectors and blinkers, making it difficult for motorists to ride during the night. 

“It is risky for pedestrians too, as these roads are dark. Motorists find it difficult to control their vehicles if pedestrians are crossing the road,” he said. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) P. Harishekaran said that he will go for a spot inspection and hold a meeting with BBMP officials on Saturday.