This reminds me of a joke about "hölmöläinen" (Finnish for "dummers"), who do things like extend a carpet by cutting a piece from the other end... There's plenty of those in our folklore but we try not to behave like it today.

Such stupidity is really not having any grounds in today's world. We need smart solutions. And smart enough people. And smart enough managers. And politicians (...the list goes on).

Now that Praja works as a "citizen police" to highlight such idiotic occurances, you have half of the feedback loop. The other half is to get the city officials / transport planners involved, and *participating* on this very site. Can you accomplish that?

-asko

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 Can you accomplish that?

We have already, people who have nothing to hide and truly care to listen are already listening/reading. Others are busy making money on useless projects with no outcomes, so sensible stuff can be given a go by. 

We have a newsletter that we send, maybe we can send it to BBMP as well. 

its a complete implementation with zeebra stripes and all.

Who in his right mind takes a walk on a flyover with no destinations on it? Secondly who will cross over to the other side in the middle of the flyover & what for? Why do you need to slow down traffic 6 times on a flyover sending shockwaves and causing backups? On the other hand there are stretches on the surface where people cant cross at all !!! Where are the zebras & horses on the surface?

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At least two Bangalore roads where the traffic direction is reversed. ON both these roads you are expected to drive on the right side of the road. In fact this has caused the ridiculous situation that in one of these roads the bus stand is on the median because the bus doors open on the median side and not the pavement side. 

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12cr for a small useless job like this is really atrocious.

This is how the people are swindled, hard earned tax going to peoples pockets. Most of these projects are essentiallworthless in terms of outcomes, some like these are actually counter productive, & exist only to allow people to make money on some pretext. Doesnt this amount to robbery under IPC? or atleast cheating? 

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I could not get the exact details about the tender, but the total amount was around 12 Crores. Refer http://tenders.indiamart.com/details/813556737/ . Did not know that these 12 Crores is for a pair of humps.

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@Ramesh : thanks for the update

btw 12cr for a small useless job like this is really atrocious..I have seen before that while asphalting roads the contractor gets a trolley load of asphalt in the evening for ppl who want personal humps in front of their houses and these humps(illegal ofcourse) used to cost 1,000 Rs..some time ago that is..

Now considering cost escalations..the job on the flyover should not have costed more than 1L..max..

12 crores is mindblgling..is some one from the press listening??

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For Rs 12 cr, I am sure L&T would have done a total repair of the joints and brought it back to original shape, and on top, given a guarantee for 10 years. This is a total scam.

Perhaps, we need to do an RTI exercise, as a PRAJA project, and expose more details.

@ IDS  -  game?

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I am not too sure that what the BBMP has done here is really wrong.

I have seen people waiting on the flyover to catch buses going to/from Mysore.  So, obviously, people are walking up the 2 exit/entry ramps on to the main flyover and get on to the buses.

Given a day's observation, I am sure we can find out more use-cases of pedestrians on the flyover.  And frankly, I don't have any problem with the traffic slowing down ON the flyover.  The biggest issue in Bangalore is supposedly "slow traffic".  This is a quasi-state created by roads letting vehicles go at 80 km/h and having to "slow down" to 40 km/h.

On the other hand, if vehicles are "forced" to go at these lower speeds, it automatically makes for a safe and "uncomplained" road.

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BBMP's DON'T Fly over but Crawl Campaign!

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@ IDS  -  game?

Absolutely, I will get a set of questions ready & we go after this. I know Sri uses this stretch everyday, rest who understand this foolishness can pitch in with questions.

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@sridharraman I am not too sure you know about the 'stopping' bus thing on the flyover. Essentially there is only one illegal stop at KR market..this is for the following bussses:

1. BMTC red board busses from Kengeri side 'skipping' KR market stop below the flyover...by not going down the flyover to avoid traffic

2. SURMS and other pvt carriers comming from Kollegala/Chamarajnagara and other places

3. TNSTC busses starting from satellite station stop occassionally to pickup passengers

Nowadays there is a traffic cop almost everyday haplessly trying to note down bus numbers which violate..when there is a cop..its just the BMTC busses which violate..'naanu govermentu neenu govermentu' logic

So in all its only the BMTC which keeps violating and drops off passengers on the flyover..hence according to your logic only one hump is needed to slow down the vehicles..why 6?

Hovever the humps were never put for peds at all..as said before and as said in the tender..its for the joints on the flyover..

Again if we want peds on the flyover..why not spend more and have a full fledged footpath and a bus bay for them? We will have one more unique feature then of having a legal bus stop on a flyover and a complete footpath to show that we care for peds..it will surely go into the records..

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In my experience, vehicles haven't stopped voluntarily at any pedestrian crossing.  They only do so if they are forced.  And currently, the solution present on our roads is humps.  It may not be the best solution, but until the authorities come up with them (whatever that is), there is no need to remove these humps.

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Face-lift of the flyover includes two parts, replacement of the present modular expansion joints with finger-type expansion joints and re-asphalting of the same. It is said that finger-type expansion joints lasts longer. Replacement of expansion joints is estimated `2.66 crore, while asphalting of the road is estimated to cost `1.6 crore. “Once the expansion joint works starts, we will under take asphalting work too simultaneously. “Work is expected to start by end of August or September first week,” he added

Source

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these are the ones needed..web gives ref to lot of chineese mfrs of these..

they mention of asphalting..hope they dont mess up laying a layer of asphalt over the existing road..

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@srinidhi, I would gladly accept any number of humps on a flyover if it helps in keeping the vehicle speeds within reasonable limits.

So, the problem is in not having "legal" bus-stops on the flyover.  I wish that happens as well.  After all, why exactly should private vehicles "skip" the traffic and as a consequence cause more congestion once all the lanes merge below.

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 I would gladly accept any number of humps on a flyover if it helps in keeping the vehicle speeds within reasonable limits.

How do you know these 6 are achieving the desired effect? What should be the speed limit on this flyover & why?

 After all, why exactly should private vehicles "skip" the traffic and as a consequence cause more congestion once all the lanes merge below.

Why not? If you want people to take buses they should be accessible to pedestrians on the surface. Why should people trudge all the way up the flyover? The very reason public transit is using the flyover means they are not being people friendly. Root cause of people on the flyover is they need to access something that is not available below, Buses.

Its all nice to hate private transport, what with the ped walk & all, but it will be better to demand the right things with the right reason. Road humps are not even a pedestrian solution, raised pedestrian crossings are.

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Even Mr. Sood has mentioned many times that humps are not at all solutions for ped, not even an aleternative.

The questions here are -

(1) 12 cr, is that reasonable?

(2) Zebra crossing? I mean, is that really for crossing peds? or what was the motive behind?

(3) When BBMP can't do something constructive and great for namma bangalore, why in damage mode for some good things being done by BBMP?

(4) Ped stop on flyover, yes if you want that, make it legal with proper accessibilty and proper bus-bays, otherwise its not helpful for peds, but its causing risks to their life instead. I have lot written about that here.

(5) Even humps are not actual solution for speed limits, people wil still drive to their max in between the humps, how are they helping here? Instead install keep speed guns on the way (on bays), and later fine the people while exiting from the flyover or through posts.

@Murali Sir, @IDS

I am also in to get the details exposed. Let me know as well if I can be of help in the RTI exercise or any related task.

Deepak

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And currently, the solution present on our roads is humps. 

There is no proof that a road hump has helped pedestrians more than a raised pedestrian crossing has. Further there is no proper reason for the presence of both pedestrians & road humps on the specific flyover in question. Apparently the cause of pedestrians reaching & boarding buses is mixed up in the revengeful clamour to see private traffic suffer. More importantly if these road humps were a solution in lieu of finger joints I should say this is a scam in the offing as per the news report above.

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been using this flyover since the say it was opened for traffic..it was like my personal for the initial few years and I did 100+ cosistantly on my yam and then the traffic slowed down after 2004-05..

now in peak hour traffic its not more than 50 (before the humps)

I still dont understand why are we talking of peds on a flyover..the whole thouhgt is wrong in the first place!

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Peds on the flyover is totally unfair, why would one just allow ped crossing on the flyover, without thinking about it's implication. If they want to allow it in first place, first give bays for buses to stop on flyover, provide bays for peds, arrange other things for their safety and security, and then talk about those peed crossings and humps. Before doing all that we should't just discus half solution for peds, it's totally unfair and invalid. Deepak

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“In an effort to make pedestrians feel safe and secure, greater efforts will be directed towards evolving a pedestrian-friendly traffic system,” he added. Illegal humps will be converted into high rise pedestrian crossings after holding due consultations with the BBMP, said Saleem, the new ACP (Traffic and Security).

Source - Deccan Herald

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I am a regular traveller on this road and it is absolute nightmare riding on a two wheeler. There are more than 6 humps on either sideof the road. There is a hump every 100 meters. This will lead to slowing down of vehicles and as it is the traffic is heavy during mornings and evenings.

Also the whole road has to be asphalted. There is no maintance watsoever.

The plants pots have also been removed now on the divider....absolute shit...

We tax payers have got used to 'Adjust Madi' mode...

Its high time we have to revolt against the daylight criminals who take money and dont do there jobs.

Adding to this is road widening between floover end to tollgate bus stop..it is just about 300 meters streach and work is continuing since past 1.5 years...

Really frustrating!!!

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after the recent rains..most of the humps had come off, making the ride on this flyover a horrible experience especially for two wheelers..as ravi mentions above..

now they have patched up the humps again..oblivious to the fact that it will not stay intact because its been laid on a moving rubber base..

SO this is where the 12 crores is being used..that is a small fraction of it!!

The agenda from BBMP is to never go for any permanent solutions..the more temporary it is..the better it is to swindle money on the pretext of it!!

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Sad to hear these "news".

Obviously there is a systemic problem with infrastructure maintenance in Bangalore.

I was thinking of suggesting a Google map with pointers to these locations to be fixed, but that would demand people and organizations actually being *capable* of fixing them. That seems to be the primary issue.

This only adds to my dislike of flyovers as a "solution" to urban transport problems. 3D cities is the right way to go, but not with last century technology, nor mindset.

What India needs is a full sold-as-service approach, where the original maker of the infra is also the one taking care of the maintenance, at its own cost (included in the whole bid for make the stuff). Indian companies *are* good in management and cost reduction. This simply must be extended to the infra building (and maintenance) and not only mobile phones, IT etc. intangible things.

Inpatient to get seed funding to my company. We would be doing exactly the above. :)

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How does discussing these issue solve the problems?? Is Praja.in influential enough to penetrate this to the concerned authorities or are we just putting out our frustration into this site..pardon my language..Im new to this portal and was curious if there will really be any action after these series of discusssions / ideas from citizens?

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 Is Praja.in influential enough to penetrate this to the concerned authorities or are we just putting out our frustration into this site

Yes & No, the site is just a platform which allows people to gather information & solution ideas. Praja RAAG is an offline entity which picks up certain ideas & takes them mainstream by advocacy.  

Activism of specific agendas is left to "The Praja" which is the citizens like yourself. The power is in you & not in the entity called Praja.in If you think somebody is going to fight on your behalf you are mistaken. If you need people who want to take up an issue you may find them on this site. Feel free to lead or join someone who is leading. Complaining about an issue is encouraged as long as a solution that can be advocated follows by someone or the other. No garuntees that all issues discussed or complained or solutioned will lead to activism as well.

So how do you lead on this issue? Start by asking what is the next actionable step? You will get gyan. It could be gathering more information, then contacts, then petitions, then meetings, then campaigns. Use the site to gather information, bounce approaches, discuss ideas, get second opinions, devils advocates are plenty (including me). Hope this helps.

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The poor maintenance of Sirsi flyover has made it unsafe for commuters, what with an expansion joint lying in disrepair even though the deadline to fix it has expired. Source

There you go somebody is atleast noticing after a minor incident... I think it will be fixed only if something fatal happens or the protest happens I hope its the latter & not the former.

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This article (and there are several other sources, incl You tube videos) shows how with a different perspective, some organizations around the globe are able to do things faster for the same cost.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/us/rapid-construction-techniques-transform-infrastructure-repair.html

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The joint replacement work started about 4 weeks ago..the stopped the lane from the church junction to sirsi circle..the joints were dug up..

and then everything stopped..now everyday there is one guy on a chair sleeping in the morning..guess hes the security guard..

no other workers in sight neither any work is happening..

Why do they do this?

This looks like the specs were incorrect in the tender or the contractor did not do his homework..

either ways..road users are troubled big time by this work/impasee now..

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I agree with Shrinidhi...It been around a month but just one of the humps is being worked on...moreover this has been dug and no work progress wahatsoever....still around 7 to go...after this mission they will also have to fix the humps from KR Market to church circle....this looks like a major 5 year project...its a shame!!!

This road connects to some of the major hospitals and its sad to see Ambulances getting stuck in traffic due to this...

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Today embarks another example of "History Repeats". After a month's work of maintenance, KR Market flyover again has "Humps"..this time much bigger ( guess lot of money spent on this mega structure)....Its a SHAME!!! Tax payer's money is being used for gambling...no one to take the accountability

I think in this time we will have to come together and protest against such nuisance..Its ridiculous that in a major city of Bangalore it has become "mission immpossible" for the authorities to fix this flyover..

Pls think about this seriously and we can all come together and protest on the flyover..

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The humps on the mysore road flyover woes continue..was in the press too today..

However I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel..I noticed that they have replaced one of the joints (at it hits down just after sirsi circle). This is a metal finger type joint..looks pretty stable..

Now they need to replace the rest of them on the flyover soon..and remove the scary super humps on this road..btw the tar is already displaced on the many humps making it really bad now cos of rains!

Can BBMP take this up on a war front!?

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