Smart City Issues
Mangaluru
Traffic congestion continues to trouble commuters in Mangaluru as the long-pending construction of bus bays remains incomplete despite repeated public demands and Smart City developments.
Commuters travelling from the city towards Bengaluru or Talapady via the busy Mahaveer Circle frequently face severe traffic jams, particularly during weekends and late evenings between 9 pm and 11 pm. The congestion is mainly caused by long-distance private buses halting on the roadside to pick up passengers instead of using designated stopping areas.
Although traffic police had earlier deployed personnel at the junction to regulate vehicle movement after public complaints, buses continue to stop on the road, causing bottlenecks and delays.
Similar scenes are reported across several major junctions in the city, with citizens blaming the lack of properly designed and functional bus bays. Despite Mangaluru’s Smart City status and investments in concrete roads, modern bus shelters, recreational facilities, and infrastructure upgrades, commuters say the city has failed to address basic traffic management issues.
At areas such as Lalbagh, buses heading towards Udupi and local city routes often stop directly on the main road instead of entering the existing bays. Passengers are forced to rush through moving traffic to board buses while vehicles behind continue honking, creating confusion and safety risks.
Citizens and members of private bus owners’ associations have repeatedly demanded construction of dedicated bus bays across the city. Former mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur had earlier announced plans to build bus bays at eight key locations, including near the KSRTC bus stand, Lady Hill, Kankanady Junction, and Bunts Hostel.
However, only one project — a bus bay in front of Govindadas College — was completed. Sudhir Shetty stated that although all eight projects had received approval, the files were later stalled after his term ended. He alleged that political interference prevented the projects and hi-tech bus shelters from progressing further.
Traffic police officials have also expressed concern over the issue. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K Ravishankar said the department has requested the construction of bus bays at 53 locations across the city. He noted that proper bus bays and flyovers are essential to easing traffic congestion and urged the Mangaluru City Corporation to take immediate action.
With vehicle numbers steadily increasing, commuters say the absence of organized bus stopping infrastructure continues to undermine Mangaluru’s Smart City ambitions and daily traffic management efforts.
