Allowing chaos through a lack of science and system

Observe Bengaluru closely. You will wonder whether there is any scientific basis at all in a city of its scale and magnitude.

- NIRAD MUDUR

It is much-touted as a "global city", even "science city" because of its link to science. But quite apparently there's none of it in the way the city functions.

While the government, local authorities, and civic and mobility experts have been appealing for reliance on public/mass rapid transport, walking and cycling, there is a conspicuous lack of facilities for the latter. The former – although picking up – suffers from a lack of effective last-mile connectivity. This forces citizens to prefer their private transport over the prescribed modes. It further contributes to the intolerable congestion on Bengaluru roads daily at almost all hours of the day – sometimes at night, too.

Private transport itself could have been disciplined had our regional transport offices (RTOs) churned out quality drivers and riders post grilling through stringent and challenging test formats for only the most deserving and responsible ones to qualify for driving licences. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The perpetuation of a weak system of granting driving licences leaves much to be suspected. It benefits many stakeholders linked to these RTOs, who benefit from the very inadequacies that contribute to the malaise on the city roads. It justifies the mischievous and exaggerated description about Indian drivers: "Put three vehicles with drivers on any Bengaluru road, and you will have a traffic jam." Sometimes, it is hardly exaggerated.