The number of vehicles on the roads of Mysore city is increasing rapidly. There are indications that the roads can not handle the increased load on them. The strategy adopted by the local bodies to tackle this problem is to widen roads wherever possible. But this strategy is not backed by any scientific study of the problem and its potential solutions. Widening of the roads seems a knee-jerk reaction to traffic congestion. A dispassionate and logical look at the problem is essential.
Attempts to relieve traffic congestion by providing more road space (road widening, new roads, fly-overs, underpasses, etc.) provides only temporary relief as the uncontrolled growth of personal motor vehicle population soon occupies the increased road space, and a new round of traffic congestion begins. This is observed fact all over India. The advice of farseeing transportation engineers and town planners is that the long-term solution for traffic congestion is to reduce the number of vehicles that use the road at any given time, and to give preference to vehicles which carry more passengers. Thus, a good bus system is essential. A city with efficiently operated public transport will encourage people to use it instead of their personal vehicles and thus reduce the major cause of traffic congestion.
Road widening consists of widening the carriage way at the expense of the pedestrian footpaths and felling the trees adjacent to the carriage way. With no footpaths, pedestrians are forced to walk on the carriage way itself, obstructing motor traffic and increasing the chance of an accident. So the traffic becomes slow again and the "beneficial" effect of road widening is nullified. This can be seen in several roads which have been widened.
Roadside trees not only give shade to pedestrians and parked vehicles, they also absorb and mitigate the air and sound pollution produced by vehicles.Therefore, felling of trees for road widening has doubly negative effect.
Many roads in Mysore can not be widened any further without acquiring adjacent properties and demolishing structures on them. The cost of acquisition and the legal delays may be prohibitive.
In combating traffic congestion, several alternatives to road widening have been tried in many cities around the world and found successful. Some of them are:
(a) Strengthen the bus transport system by introducing more buses to provide more routes and increase the frequency of service.
(b) Introduce parking fee and congestion pricing. Introduce parking fees in and around busy roads. Charge toll for vehicles entering congested parts of the city during busy hours. This technique has successfully reduced congestion in cities like London, Stockholm, Milan, Rome and Osl
(c) Introduce Vehicle Quota System. This will allow the RTO to control the number of cars on the roads of Mysore. The quota is fixed based on the present capacity of roads. The RTO will determine how many of each category of vehicles are allowed on the road. Subtracting the number of vehicles of that category which are already on the road from the allowed number gives the number of available permits in that category. The RTO will then auction publicly these available permits for a period of 5 years. This system which is in place in Singapore has not only reduced traffic congestion, but has also provided enormous revenues.
(d) Encourage walking and bicycle use by providing "walkers only" and "bicycles only" zones in city centre.
There is increasing evidence that the road widening model for tackling traffic congestion has already stopped working in Mysore. It is time to give it up and try some of the alternatives indicated above and which have proved to be successful elsewhere. MGP has written to Sri. R.Ashoka, Minister for Transport and Sri. S.A. Ramdas, Minister in Charge of Mysore District on this matter.
Maj.Gen.(Rtd.) S.G. Vombatkere, Member, Mysore Grahakara Parishat