Call to check irregular parking, set up dedicated bus corridor to prevent accidents | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Road safety and urban planning experts expressed concern over the frequent accidents involving Mo Buses, attributing them to factors such as insufficient regulation and inadequate planning.
While road safety experts advocated for a comprehensive training module for bus drivers operating within city limits, urban planners emphasised the necessity for dedicated planning of roads and corridors where the vehicles operate.
“Public transport buses come in various sizes. Authorities must deploy buses of suitable sizes on appropriate routes. This implementation is lacking in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, resulting in accidents,” road safety expert Syed Maqbool Ali said.
Ali, a former member of National Road Safety Council, also advocated for encroachment-free roads for seamless movement, particularly for city buses. “Bhubaneswar’s and Cuttack’s roads face chaotic parking issues,” he said.
According to the road safety manual, he said irregular parking on any road is a significant contributor to accidents. “Enforcement has to be strengthened in the city. Vehicles should not be permitted to park on roads,” Ali said.
City-based urban planner Piyush Ranjan Rout underscored the necessity to establish dedicated corridors for buses to prevent accidents. “Several cities worldwide have implemented transit corridors for buses,” he said.
Rout said that a rapid transit system for buses should have been implemented in Bhubaneswar. “The city authorities can potentially set up such a system, as its non-implementation is leading to accidents,” he said.
Rout said that such a transit system will not only prevent accidents but also facilitate smooth bus operations without disrupting regular traffic movement. “It is time for decisive action,” he said.
Irregular halting of buses, even at bus queue shelters, is another factor contributing to the accidents, experts said. Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) had initiated a comprehensive survey last year to analyse bus halting patterns in the city for regulation purposes.
However, despite collating data, there has been no regulation of halting patterns of city buses, sources said.
“It appears the city authorities lack readiness to operate a bus service. Now they are planning to build a Metro, which seems a real dream,” Patia resident Vinay Patel said.
While road safety experts advocated for a comprehensive training module for bus drivers operating within city limits, urban planners emphasised the necessity for dedicated planning of roads and corridors where the vehicles operate.
“Public transport buses come in various sizes. Authorities must deploy buses of suitable sizes on appropriate routes. This implementation is lacking in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, resulting in accidents,” road safety expert Syed Maqbool Ali said.
Ali, a former member of National Road Safety Council, also advocated for encroachment-free roads for seamless movement, particularly for city buses. “Bhubaneswar’s and Cuttack’s roads face chaotic parking issues,” he said.
According to the road safety manual, he said irregular parking on any road is a significant contributor to accidents. “Enforcement has to be strengthened in the city. Vehicles should not be permitted to park on roads,” Ali said.
City-based urban planner Piyush Ranjan Rout underscored the necessity to establish dedicated corridors for buses to prevent accidents. “Several cities worldwide have implemented transit corridors for buses,” he said.
Rout said that a rapid transit system for buses should have been implemented in Bhubaneswar. “The city authorities can potentially set up such a system, as its non-implementation is leading to accidents,” he said.
Rout said that such a transit system will not only prevent accidents but also facilitate smooth bus operations without disrupting regular traffic movement. “It is time for decisive action,” he said.
Irregular halting of buses, even at bus queue shelters, is another factor contributing to the accidents, experts said. Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) had initiated a comprehensive survey last year to analyse bus halting patterns in the city for regulation purposes.
However, despite collating data, there has been no regulation of halting patterns of city buses, sources said.
“It appears the city authorities lack readiness to operate a bus service. Now they are planning to build a Metro, which seems a real dream,” Patia resident Vinay Patel said.
