ISSN: 1391 - 0531
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Vol. 42 - No 01
Kandy Times  

Uni-flow traffic arrangement - Why re-introduce?

By Victor Silva

With a view to easing the traffic congestion that has been occurring on every main road leading to Kandy town, the Police introduced a uni-flow traffic arrangement with effect from January 19 this year. Accordingly, the section of Peradeniya Road from Getambe junction upto Kandy town was made one way in the direction of Kandy and traffic from Kandy town to Peradeniya (i.e. the opposite direction) moved along William Gopallawa Mawatha.

Although this new plan was introduced with good intentions, it brought about much inconvenience to various categories of people and even death to at least three people.

A middle aged mother was knocked down on the yellow lines opposite Kingswood College at 7.45 a.m. on February 20. After numerous representations made by several residents and people's associations, the Kandy Municipal Council (KMC) unanimously decided to revert to the normal two-way traffic flow with effect from March 1.

Thousands of bus commuters, schoolchildren and their parents, and other residents of Kandy breathed a sigh of relief and praised the Mayor for the unanimous decision.

Alas, this relief is short-lived as the uni-flow traffic arrangement has been re-introduced with effect from June 1 with one change. The change is that the one-way traffic flow will be in the opposite direction - i.e. traffic moving out of Kandy town will move along Peradeniya Road and traffic towards Kandy will move along William Gopallawa Mawatha.

It is the duty of people without vested interests to highlight the numerous problems, dangers and the negative aspects of the uni-flow arrangements in order to draw the attention of the President to appoint a Committee of competent and independent people to fully study this problem and make recommendations.

Ground reality

The uni-flow traffic plan introduced in January 2007 ran into problems due to the following factors:-

a) Although the distance from Getambe junction to Kandy town is around 4 km there are only two connecting roads - one at Heerassagala and the other at Suduhumpola.

b) The distance from the Getambe junction upto the first connecting road (at Heerassagala) is about 1 ½ km., from Heerassagala to the second connecting road (at Suduhumpola) is about 1 km and from Suduhumpola to Kandy town is about another 1 ½ km.

c) The connecting road at Suduhumpola is very windy and narrow and at certain points even two cars find it difficult to pass.

d) Both connecting roads have to cross the railway track. (Thousands of schoolchildren as well as other bus commuters had to cross the railway track daily. Two people were knocked down by the train soon after the introduction of the new plan in January 2007).

e) On either side of the Kandy-Peradeniya Road there are at least 17 primary and secondary schools. In addition to these schools, there are several Montessori schools, houses, shops, a Private Hospital, Medical Channelling centres, and at least four Medical Practitioners.

f) Thousands of people live in places such as Mulgampola, Piachaud Gardens, Anniewatte, Primrose Hill and Katukelle. Similarly there are thousands of people living on either side of William Gopallawa Mawatha and in places like Heerassagala and Suduhumpola. The large majority of them were very badly affected as they are bus commuters.

g). The one way traffic arrangement turned these two roads into a "racing track". Some hotheaded drivers drove at great speed along both roads thus endangering the lives of pedestrians and other road users. They did not slow down even at the pedestrian crossings.

Inconvenience due to uni-flow

a) Bus commuters and children who travel by bus to school are the worst affected. These helpless people and schoolchildren will once again be forced to walk long distances because the buses ply only in one direction. (For example children living in Anniewatte and Piachaud Gardens who attend Kingswood College and Seetha Devi Balika Vidyalaya at Mulgampola will be compelled to walk after school all the way back home in the hot afternoon sun. The only other alternative they have is to cross the rail track and travel by bus in the opposite direction to Kandy town and then take another bus home.

The plight of children from these areas who attend Mahanama College and Sarasavi Uyana Vidyalaya at Getambe will be worse. They will have to either walk at least 2 ½ km after school to their homes in the hot sun or travel 4 km by bus to Kandy town and then take another bus home).

b) Thousands of children attending schools along Peradeniya Road will have to cross the railway track daily to get to William Gopallawa Mawatha. One can imagine the way children rush to get to their homes after school. Isn't crossing the rail-track in such a frame of mind a grave risk to our children?

c) The inconvenience and hardship to the residents will be numerous. The following incident will give an indication of what is in store for the residents if the uni-flow arrangement is re-introduced. When the earlier uni-flow arrangement was in operation, a resident of Mulgampola who wanted take some clothes and dry rations to the Home for the Elders run by the Kandy Friend-in-Need Society which is situated about ½ a km away from his house had to proceed towards Kandy along the Peradeniya Road upto Suduhumpola, get on to William Gopallawa Mawatha, then travel all the way up to Getambe junction, turn back towards Kandy and then proceed again along Peradeniya Road to the Home for the Elders. A circuitous journey of 5 km to go to a place only ½ km away - thanks to the uni-flow traffic arrangement!

(For the sake of brevity, the severe difficulties faced by numerous patients who have to go to the Private Medical Practitioners/Channel Centres/Private Hospital, the loss of business to several traders/shop owners, and the loss of income to trishaw drivers, are not enumerated in this article).

Observations

a) Traffic congestion takes place mostly on the following days:-

A) On week days when schools are in session (i.e. "school days") from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 3 p.m. It is most acute in the afternoon when the schools close.

ii) On Saturdays from around 12 noon to 2 pm.
Of course, there are occasional instances of traffic congestion at various times on different days, but such occurrences cannot be eliminated altogether. Therefore, meaningful steps should be taken to minimize traffic jams during school rush hours and on Saturdays. Uni-flow throughout 24 hours on all days is not the answer.

b) The uni-flow traffic arrangement which was in operation in January/February 2007 did not result in any significant improvement. Traffic congestion during the "school rush hours" prevailed though not so acute as in the past. Further, due to the fact that all buses, lorries and other heavy vehicles moved in one direction on one road at all times of the day, traffic jam did occur at different times of the day.

Such traffic congestions (during the non-school hours) were rare before the introduction of the uni-flow arrangement.
On the other hand there were times when certain sections of the Peradeniya Road and the William Gopallawa Mawatha were virtually empty because of the one-way movement. What was the necessity to enforce the one-way arrangement at night when vehicular movement was minimal?

c) While thousands of Kandy residents had to face much hardship even risking death, the major beneficiaries of the uni-flow traffic arrangement were the visitors to Kandy travelling in vehicles. Taking into consideration what took place on the Peradeniya Road as well as the William Gopallawa Mawatha, and the severe inconvenience caused to bus commuters and school children, as well as the loss of three precious lives, one wonders why the authorities are trying to re-introduce this traffic plan.

d) Kandy roads are not wide enough to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles. Therefore traffic congestion is bound to occur unless the roads are widened and new roads are constructed. Until this happens, the authorities should take meaningful steps to prevent traffic congestion while at the same time ensuring the safety of the road users and minimizing inconvenience to the residents, bus commuters and school children.

Recommendations

a) The uni-flow of traffic should not be re-introduced without properly studying and implementing alternative measures to minimize the occurrences of traffic congestion. In this regard the following are recommended:-

(i) "No parking" areas should be clearly marked along the Peradeniya Road and William Gopallawa Mawatha. Parking should not be permitted at least 30 feet on either side of the points at which busy feeder roads join the main road. (e.g. The points at which the roads from Piachaud Gardens and Mulgampola, and George de Silva Mawatha join the Peradeniya Road). The no-parking rule in such pre-determined areas can be eased from 7 pm to 6 am.

(ii) In addition to the sections mentioned above, parking should not be permitted near schools during the school rush hours (i.e. from 7 am to 8 am and from 1.30 pm to 3 pm). (It should be remembered that there are at least 17 primary/secondary schools along Peradeniya Road).

(iii) There are a few pedestrian crossings marked just in front of bus halts. These are virtual death traps as the pedestrians cannot see the vehicles coming from behind the halted buses. Such pedestrian crossings should be shifted to at least 20 feet away from the bus halts.

(iv) Speeding drivers should be prosecuted. The implementation of spot fines will definitely be a deterrent to these erratic drivers.

  • Trishaw drivers and others doing "U-turns".
  • Bus drivers who stop to pick up or drop passengers at various points other than at the allocated bus halts.
  • Those who overtake a line of stationary vehicles whilst blocking the free-flow of vehicles in the opposite direction.

(v) Efficient Police personnel should be stationed at important junctions and other critical places to direct traffic.

(vi) Those who violate traffic rules should be prosecuted irrespective of their position. Politicians, ministers, high-ranking officers of the Police/Services should not be exempted from prosecution.

b) If the above mentioned steps do not give the desired results, the following should be done prior to re-implementing the uni-flow traffic plan:-

i) Shorten the distance that will be under the uni-flow plan. Implement the uni-flow from the Heerassagala Junction (instead of Getambe Junction) to Kandy town. This will reduce the uni-flow distance from 4 km to around 2 ½ km and reduce the inconvenience to at least some of the residents, bus commuters and school children.

ii) Widen the two connecting roads at Heerassagala and Suduhumpola junctions to accommodate the free flow of vehicles.

iii) Construct at least two bridges (at Heerassagala and Suduhumpola) for pedestrians to cross the rail track. (This is essential taking into consideration the large number of school children and bus commuters who will be compelled to cross the rail track).

v) An efficient "circular town bus service" should be operated charging a minimal fixed rate, irrespective of the points of entry and exit.

vi) All the roads that will be used as alternate routes (e.g Anniwatte Road, War Cemetery Road, Heerassagala Road, etc) should be made motorable. At present many sections along these roads are in a pathetic state full of pot-holes.

In addition to the above, steps should be taken without delay to construct bridges over the rail track at Heerassagala and Suduhumpola for vehicle movement. This will eliminate traffic congestion due to the closure of the rail-gates at these two places.

Conclusion

The move to re-introduce the uni-flow traffic arrangement within a mere three months of reverting to the two-way traffic flow has raised many a doubt in the minds of the residents of Kandy. One cannot comprehend why the KMC which took into consideration the severe difficulties faced by the residents and unanimously decided to do away with the uni-flow, now wants to re-introduce it.

The residents, bus commuters and school children who were badly affected, as well as those who are grieving over the deaths of their dear ones as a result of the previous uni-flow traffic arrangement hope that the President will appoint a committee of competent and independent people to carefully study this complex problem.

Not permit the re-introduction of the uni-flow arrangement until such a committee puts forward its recommendations.

 
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