Motorists Puzzled as Traffic Police Conduct One-Way Trial Run Around KBR Park
Sajjanar explained that officials had studied the roads and traffic flow for a month before drafting the experiment.
Hyderabad: Many motorists appeared puzzled during the experimental two-hour trial of one-day traffic on roads adjacent the KBR Park at Jubilee Hills on Sunday, despite the wide publicity given for the event which began at 11 am.
Traffic police were examining the possibility of implementing one-way traffic on the roads to facilitate the construction of a steel flyover and an underpass as part of the Hyderabad City Innovative & Transformative Infrastructure (H-CITI) project. City police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar personally oversaw the experiment on Sunday.
Traffic police personnel and volunteers holding sign boards helped the motorists find their way. The one-way movement will be on Jubilee Hills checkpost to NTR Bhavan and from NTR Bhavan to Basavatarakam cancer hospital. Additionally, there are no U-turn or right turn anywhere around KBR Park.
An official stressed that the trial run was only for Sunday; regular traffic movement will be restored from Monday.
Officials said the findings from the trial run will be analysed and shared with GHMC officials for further action. Based on the feedback and improvements, another trial run will be conducted after providing prior information to the public.
An official said that the trial showed a few points with more than usual friction due to the one-way, on the stretch from Basavatarakam to Agrasen statue and BRS Bhavan including the Venkatagiri and Jubilee Hills Road No. 5 Metro Station. If one-way further being imposed, there will be slight repairs to the roads.
Joint commissioner of police, traffic, Joel Davis said that the traffic pattern will be analysed, videos were also shot using drones and the videos too will give insights to further decide on the possible changes.
Sajjanar explained that officials had studied the roads and traffic flow for a month before drafting the experiment. “We will look into traffic issues, and will study further with the current insights. There will be further changes and full fledged restrictions will be in place."
Surprise, Confusion, and Praise: Commuters React to KBR Park One-Way Run
A bike taxi dropped off its passenger, a woman, even before the NTR Bhavan signal after the driver saw traffic diversion signages on the KBR Park roads, and refused to take her till the drop-off point at Jubilee Hills Checkpost Metro Rail Station. The woman , employed in Madhapur, said she was not aware of the diversions. A police officer, one of the many posted along the route during the experiment, guided her.
Karan J., 25, a private employee, said he wanted to surprise his boss by turning up at the office on a Sunday, but was in for a shock himself. "Yesterday I travelled normally and it changed just in a day," Karan said, and was happy that this was just an experiment. Told that there would be similar trial, he started calculating the additional petrol expenses for travelling four kilometres extra.
Malathi Rajeshwari, a private employee, expressed gratitude to the police for working on identifying challenges and giving solutions. "The checkpost is congested at peak traffic hours. If the one-way system helps, it will be a better option.
