Why pay toll for a 2 km 'NICE' jam, ask Bengaluru motorists
The traffic Jam in Bengaluru has been increasing day-by-day. To escape the traffic inside city, motorists go along NICE road, where they are still ending up in a 2km long jams, even after paying tolls. The various parts being still under construction and all the vehicles being diverted to a single-lane is the main reason of the Jam.
FollowThe traffic congestion in Bengaluru has been in the news for years. During peak hours, the vehicles end up being stuck in the same spot for at least half an hour. The traffic has now reached 'NICE' heights and motorists are questioning the authorities for paying tolls for waiting in traffic jams that stretched for over 2 km!
These worries of the motorists are rightful as they question the NICE authority for collecting the tolls when several parts of the road are under construction. The work is being done during peak hours and the traffic has been diverted to a single lane, where bikers struggle to move along with the huge number of trucks, on both sides of the road. The motorists take this route to avoid the huge traffic congestion inside the city, during peak hours.
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The 'NICE' road problem
Bengaluru and traffic -- these words have become synonymous with each other. The population and the number of vehicles roaming the city have been exponentially increasing. To reduce traffic congestion, the metro service has been in service. For long commutes, an outer ring road has been constructed outside the city's proximity for vehicles. Even then, the traffic has reached the NICE road in Bengaluru.
The commuters suffered from 2 km-long traffic on Tuesday. The road is privately owned and has been constructed from Electronic City to Tumkur Road. Currently, it is owned by a private company Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd. (NICE)
The road is undergoing construction in various places and motorists are questioning the authority for paying the tolls even when the road is under construction, creating traffic havoc.
Traffic congestion was observed near Mallasandra, where the vehicles were stuck for 2 km in bumper-to-bumper jams. “Under construction, the traffic has been diverted to a single lane, where both sides have to move along the same lane. The road is mostly filled up by trucks, moving along slowly. They make the road troublesome for smaller vehicles, who have to move along at the same speed. Thus, this has created a 2 km elongated jam, on both sides,” said Roshan, a motorist.
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It is the only road in India, which collects tolls from the two-wheelers for commuting. "I would rather take the outer ring road rather than pay the toll for NICE road and still end up in traffic," complained a biker, who was struggling in the traffic jam. He also said that the government should step in and suggest the NICE authority stop the toll until and unless the work has been completed.
Solution?
Experts' opinion is that the construction work should be undertaken during non-peak hours, during the night. Even if it’s a private road, it is being utilized by the public to an extreme extent. The NICE authority should take this note and avoid constructing the road during daylight.
