Road to BIAL blocked after fatal accident

In my April article "Beware .... Pedestrians" I had highlighted the need for pedestrian safety and over-bridges. The closing line in that article was "The last thing we all want to see, is a repeat of the recent Mysore Road incident, and a major dharna blocking traffic for hours on end, on the only decent access road to the airport."

This is the story on the cover page of The Deccan Herald, of today.

Locals block road to airport after mishap
Bangalore, DHNS:

Trouble erupted on the road to the Bengaluru International Airport on Tuesday night after an airpot taxi ran over a pedestrian, Dodda Thimmaiah (55), near Betta Halasur in Chikkajala police limits...

After finding Thimmaiah dead around 8 pm, irate locals stoned several airport taxis and blocked the road for over an hour. All traffic to and from the airport ground to a halt. Police had a harrowing time in reaching the spot as the nearest point — the City — from where they could make it was 9 km away. Once the cops arrived, normalcy returned and traffic resumed.

On Sunday last, another airport taxi was involved in a fatal hit-and-run case. The police have decided to strengthen patrolling on the road.

Almost immediately after BIAL opened, accidents have become a daily norm on NH-7. Despite advice to the contrary, the agency in charge, NHAI, chose to ignore this issue, and Bangaloreans are paying for it, and forcing an already over-stretched police force to manage the hopeless situation.

The BMLTA will address this lack of proper coordination, and it will behoove the Chief Minister of Karnataka to strength the agency.

In the meantime, I can only request my fellow Bangaloreans, to please drive with more care and empathy. Saving 5 minutes is not worth risking anyone's life.