Attempt to make Attibele on TN Karnataka border accident free

An NGO in partnership with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Karnataka Police launched a temporary, low-cost intervention to test out road safety strategies at Attibele Junction in a. bid to make the highway between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka safe

Known as a Tactical Urbanism Trial, this is the third such activity undertaken in Bengaluru, the NGO said.

Attibele Junction is a key intersection on the southeast border between Bengaluru in Karnataka and Hosur in Tamil Nadu. There were as many as 32 road accidents within a 1 km radius of the intersection between 2020 and 2022, 10 of which were fatal according to Karnataka state police records

Tactical Urbanism (TU) trials are temporary, quick and relatively low-cost interventions that assist in testing out urban design, transportation planning and infrastructural changes to improve road safety for all road users, especially the most vulnerable ones such as pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised transport users.

The major TU interventions undertaken at Attibele Junction include the demarcation of travel lanes for streamlining vehicular and pedestrian movement, demarcation of a Safe School Zone with dedicated pick-up and drop-off spaces and parking facilities, traffic calming measures such as transverse and longitudinal bar markings and manual signalization at the Junction

Once the interventions are proven, the relevant government agencies are expected to make these interventions permanent, it said. Located at the crossroads of National Highway 44, and roads connecting to Sarjapur on one side and Anekal on the other, the intersection lies in close proximity to the Attibele industrial area. The location, with various factories, is a significant thoroughfare as it also serves as a major transit hub for interstate commuters using public transport.

The crossings at the intersection alone are used by an average of approximately 34,000 pedestrians, and 71,000 vehicles pass through the intersection daily. Speaking about the interventions, Dr M V Rajeev Gowda, Vice Chairman, State Institute for Transforming Karnataka (Policy Planning Commission), Government of Karnataka was quoted as saying the redesign at Attibele Junction is a timely and essential project that not only enhances safety but sets a replicable model for the entire state. "It showcases our government's commitment to reducing road crashes and fatalities. This trial is a progress in road safety in Karnataka and a stepping stone toward a safer future for all road users."