BENGALURU: With over 67 lakh vehicles in the city and with travel speed as low as 10 kmph in most stretches during peak hours, Bengaluru Traffic Police have come up with an eight-point formula to ease traffic congestion.
Among a host of proposals include banning entry of long-distance private buses in the city.
The traffic police also want commercial establishments that don’t have parking facilities to be shut down. Other proposals include ban on old public vehicles, alternative routes to airport and removing bottlenecks on 12 high traffic density corridors (see graphics).
Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) R Hithendra told Express, “We want to restrict the entry of intercity buses to outer areas. Several cities including Mumbai do not allow intercity private bus operators to enter the city. It is not necessary for all buses to reach Majestic or Kalasipalayam.
They can operate till outer areas like Byappanahalli and Peenya. Passengers can take a Metro from these places to reach the core city areas.”
He adds that the city needs a parking policy and designated pay-and-park areas. “The civic body should demarcate the areas into paid parking, free parking and no parking.
At present, motorists park their vehicles wherever they want because of the free parking. This increases traffic congestion,” he says.
He adds that completion of the proposed alternative routes to the airport would ease traffic congestion on Ballari Road.
Pawan Mulukutla, urban transport expert, WRI India, says the government should double the number of BMTC buses and impose congestion pricing on private vehicles. He said expansion of Metro and addition of more buses will encourage people to use public transport.