Sir,
Our city is heading toward a dangerous cautionary tale. The obsession with blindly adding traffic signals has backfired, drastically increasing congestion on roads that used to be perfectly fine.
If we don’t change course, we are on the fast track to becoming another Bengaluru — completely paralysed by over-signalled, choked infrastructure.
Why should a straightforward, 5-minute journey to the Railway Station now drag on for a gruelling 20 minutes? The problem isn’t a sudden surge of vehicles; it is entirely due to commuters being forced to stack up at unnecessary, unscientific red lights.
These rigid timers act as artificial dams, turning a smooth stream of cars into a massive, idling queue even when the intersecting road is empty.
Free-flowing traffic naturally thins out crowding. Instead of copying broken systems, authorities must focus on efficient movement through proper roundabouts and lane merges. The goal must be to keep traffic moving smoothly, not standing still.
— A daily commuter
Mysuru
10.7.2026
