Mangaluru: Heavy traffic congestion was witnessed near Kuloor as the repair works of the old bridge began on Tuesday, March 17.
Vehicular movement was stopped on the old bridge to allow the repairs to continue unhindered while the new bridge was kept open for two-way traffic. While there should not have been any issues, heavy traffic congestion was seen on both ends of the new bridge. During the peak hours, vehicles were lined up all the way till Kottara Chowki and Baikampady. Many vehicles were stuck on both ends of the bridge for nearly an hour!
After having been stuck in traffic, proprietor of Achal Cashew Industries G Giridhar Prabhu posted a satirical comment about the situation on social media writing, ”City has found a new way of sterilising people before entering Mangaluru via Kuloor bridge. Each person baked for 40 minutes that no virus can enter it! Also meditation can be practiced in a crawling vehicle.”
A commuter who wished to remain anonymous joked that the traffic was so bad that one would have been able to go for a nice beachside stroll to pass the time.
As it was blaring hot and sunny, some commuters were seen trying to stick near larger vehicles so that they can chill out in the shade. It was quite comical to see smaller vehicles stick to larger vehicles; like small children tugging behind the mother.
Some other commuters were seen leaving their vehicles to take a walk and talk to others who were also stuck in traffic, others were on their phones; because, why not?
One thing is for sure; there were a lot of curses being uttered either under hushed tones or out loud.
Earlier, Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh had informed that G S Arad Constructions was commissioned to repair the old bridge and that vehicular movement would be stopped once the repair works begin. Two-way traffic was allowed on the new bridge to facilitate a smooth flow of vehicles. Light vehicles, buses and trucks (six wheels) on the Mangaluru-Udupi route were allowed to ply on the new bridge.
Meanwhile, all types of heavy trucks including containers, bullet tankers, cranes and trailers were not allowed to ply on the new bridge.
Traffic ACP Manjunath Shetty told newskarnataka.com that though there was a lot of traffic congestion on Tuesday, it will not continue further. “As it was the first day, there was traffic congestion. If people opt to ply on alternative routes, then there won’t be any traffic congestion,” he said.
Traffic diversion
Six-wheel goods vehicles were allowed to ply on the new bridge on Tuesday, however, they will not be allowed to do so from Wednesday onwards. As per Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh’s orders, six-wheel trucks will not be allowed to ply on the new bridge between 8 am and 9 pm. The six-wheel goods vehicles coming from Bengaluru and Kerala and moving towards Udupi have been asked to ply via KPT-Kavoor, Bajpe, Kaikamba and Moodbidri. These vehicles will be allowed to ply on the new bridge only between 9 pm and 7 am.
The heavy vehicles which ply to Bengaluru have been asked to opt to travel on the Padubidri-Karkala route. Meanwhile, all heavy vehicles coming from Udupi to Mangaluru have been asked to go via Mulki-Kinnigoli, Moodbidri. Those vehicles which ply between Haleyangadi and Bajpe have been asked to opt to travel through the Kinnigoli-Moodbidri-Suratkal route. Vehicles plying between Udupi and the Mangaluru International Airport should use the Mulki-Kinnigoli-Kateel-Bajpe route.
