Sir,

Driving in Mysuru requires immediate attention and a realignment, or it is bound to become chaotic in the coming years. A few simple yet crucial steps must be enforced on priority by the Traffic Police.

Checking for DLs, overloaded transport vehicles, inter-State vehicle permits and drunk driving are vital, but equally important are measures that directly ease people’s lives. Unfortunately, Traffic Cops either neglect these or fail to consider them.

Improved road signage and markings: Display warnings for speed limits on city roads, lane markings, no-honk zones and zebra crossings for pedestrians.

Ban on high-beam headlights: Enforce compulsory use of low-beam headlights on roads and highways when approaching oncoming vehicles to prevent accidents. The glaring illumination of LED headlights, often in violation of rules, remains unchecked. The old practice of blackening half the headlights could be revisited.

Unnecessary honking: Enforce strict ban on indiscriminate honking. Certain sounds violate permissible decibel limits and need to be addressed.

Lane discipline: Reinforce restrictions on lane usage, which are often ignored. Slow-moving vehicles like autos and luggage carriers occupy the right lanes, causing significant obstruction.

‘Right of way’: Educate all drivers about giving right of way, particularly at unmanned junctions. Vehicles moving abruptly often lead to chaos and gridlocks. Following a simple rule of allowing vehicles from right-hand side to move first, as done at traffic signals, can resolve this issue significantly.

Overtaking rules: Emphasise the meaning of double-line dividers on roads, which signify a virtual barricade where overtaking is banned. It should only be permitted where dividers have intermittent gaps. Such basics must be compulsorily taught in driving classes.

Pedestrian safety: Enforce mandatory use of zebra crossings by pedestrians and ban honking by vehicles during crossings. Vehicles must patiently allow pedestrians to cross safely. Elderly individuals often struggle to navigate through chaotic traffic.

These measures need immediate implementation in Mysuru through regular education camps for drivers, clear signage and warnings on hoardings, announcements via loudspeakers.

Lastly, imposing hefty penalties on violators is the most effective way to enforce discipline. I urge the Traffic Police to adopt these people-friendly measures on a war-footing to ensure a better quality of life for its residents.

– L. Arun Pandit, Vijayanagar, 10.12.2024

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