As the Metro Rail finally began its run from M G Road to Byapanahalli, the traders of CMH cross roads heaved a sigh of relief. The roads dug up to build the elevated track and stations were back to normal and business was good after nearly six years of battling to persuade customers to navigate the potholes to enter their shops.
But just when the residents, shops, eateries, hotels and provision stores on CMH road have settled down to life as it was before the Metro arrived to disrupt it, they have been visited by another problem - tall medians on the road that prevent easy and free access to the residential bylanes of Indiranagar. "These medians installed by the traffic police are about 3 ft tall and are causing more confusion than order on this busy road," complains Mr Imtiyaz Ahmed, president, CMH Road Traders’ Association.
"While the police think that these medians will help regulate traffic , what they fail to realise is that they are a huge barrier to residents living in the lanes on either side of CMH road. They cannot cross the road when they need to now and jumping the median on a busy road like this one could be very dangerous especially for women and senior citizens, who may be tempted to," he says, pointing out that the medians have made it neccessary for residents living in the many bylanes to take a detour upto the BM Srikantaiah Road to get home.
Mr Ahmed suggests the police should leave a gap between the medians at intervals, at least at the bylanes, as otherwise, besides the residents the traders too are bound to suffer. “With no gaps between the medians on such a long road, we have to travel a big distance to go where we want to. The police must take into consideration the inconvenience caused to the people,” says an elderly resident of the area, Mr Mohammad Amir, insisting that dividers must be more pedestrian- friendly.
(Inputs from Smriti Antony)