The Indian Express               28.06.2013

MC looks at paved paths to save city roundabouts

Roundabouts in the city suffer extensive damage due to rashly driven vehicles hitting them with the reflectors installed on them proving to be of little help.

Municipal Corporation officials state that they saw a similar initiative in Delhi. To implement the proposal, the size of the traffic circles will have to be reduced by 6 feet. A structure, similar to a footpath, will be created around them and will be raised from the ground. Tiles and curb channels will complete the paved paths.

"The number of vehicles hitting roundabouts increases during the rains and foggy conditions when visibility is reduced. Repairs are conducted by the civic body on its own. At times vehicles are driven so rashly that it becomes difficult for the driver to gain control at the roundabouts," said an MC official.

The civic body's Roads Committee has approved an amount of Rs 3.79 lakh for the project. If it is successful, the Municipal Corporation will replicate it at other places in the city as well. The Municipal Corporation had earlier proposed that a fine should be imposed on people who hit the roundabouts; these traffic signals are an integral part of the city's design.

They were constructed to ensure smooth flow of traffic but with vehicular traffic rapidly increasing, several experiments have been conducted to prevent chaos at roundabouts; traffic lights have been installed at most of them.

An initiative was undertaken to increase the circulation area of the roundabouts to give more space for vehicles to pass. More recently rumble strips have been installed at a roundabout with the aim of giving way to slow moving traffic. The initiative has caused problems for traffic movement with accidents taking place.