Dangerous Crossings

Every time I have to cross a road in Mangalore, I am scared to
death. There are no signals, Zebra crossings, or traffic police on
most roads. Literally, you are playing with your life every time you
cross a road. My heart swells with pride when I see the new wide roads
build all across the city. It is a commendable job indeed but the city
seem to have completely missed the point that pedestrians use the
roads too. I seriously would like to see more facilities for
pedestrians on Mangalore roads.

People of Mangalore and other cities of India have taken the road
crossing hazards as part and parcel of daily life. It sounds to many
that my living overseas has made me particularly sensitive to the
dangers of crossing roads in Mangalore. But I remember, as a child
growing up in Mumbai, traffic was more regulated. We always crossed
roads at designated corners. It was considered bad manners if we did
otherwise. But Zebra crossings have reduced considerably in Mumbai. In
Mangalore, I doubt there ever was good regulated road crossings.

Traffic has grown many times over, but traffic control has not caught
up with the times. Mangalore is a budding city with big dreams. It is
still small enough to repair some faults. So, let us begin work on
making Mangalore roads safe for pedestrians.