New Saturday restrictions for heavy vehicles in Bengaluru to ease traffic woes; Check how you are impacted: Report
Starting August 3, heavy goods vehicles will be banned from city roads during peak hours on Saturdays to reduce traffic congestion.
The Bengaluru traffic police has placed new movement restrictions on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) on Saturdays with prohibitions in place from 10 am to 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm to 9 pm starting August 3. This decision by the traffic police comes after an extensive analysis of traffic patterns from January 1 to June 30 of this year, the Deccan Herald reported.
The traffic police observed that peak traffic congestion varies significantly on weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, the highest congestion occurs between 7 am and 12 pm, with average congestion lengths ranging from 60 to 67 km, particularly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However, on Saturdays, the traffic congestion peaks at 1 pm, with the average congestion length reaching 70.3 km, the report noted.
On Saturdays, peak hours are from 11 am to 2:30 pm and from 5 pm to 8:30 pm. Hence, the change was made, explained MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) as quoted by the publication.
This new regulation aims to alleviate the severe traffic congestion experienced during these peak hours on Saturdays, ensuring smoother flow for regular commuters and reducing the strain on the city's traffic infrastructure.
The existing rule prohibiting the movement of HGVs between 7 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 10 pm on weekdays will still remain in effect. This dual approach of maintaining the current restrictions on weekdays while adjusting Saturday hours seeks to balance the needs of heavy vehicle operators with the necessity of managing urban traffic congestion more effectively, the report said.
These measures are expected to bring significant improvements to the city's traffic flow, particularly during the busiest times of the day, providing some relief to commuters and enhancing overall road safety. The traffic police will continue to monitor the situation and make further adjustments as necessary to ensure optimal traffic management.