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    Bangalore traffic police's decision to re-impose lanes for autorickshaws draws flak

    Synopsis

    After failing due to lack of enforcement in 2008, autorickshaw lanes mysteriously reappeared on several of the city’s roads a month ago.

    ET Bureau
    By Bharath Joshi

    BENGALURU: The Bengaluru traffic police’s decision to re-impose autorickshaw lanes on the city’s roads has come in for criticism, with many saying not enough thought seems to have gone into the move. A top police official defended the initiative.

    After failing due to lack of enforcement in 2008, autorickshaw lanes mysteriously reappeared on several of the city’s roads a month ago. While enforcement is again ad hoc, police have gone ahead with a recent notification that autorickshaws should move on the leftextreme lane. This will be the rule even on roads where there are no dedicated lanes for three-wheelers. And, auto drivers who want to turn right or left have to change lanes 50 m before a junction.

    “It is true that it was tried earlier and was not followed up after initial trials. We don’t know why it was not pursued then, but I think there is no harm in trying again,” Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic) B Dayananda told ET. This time, however, autorickshaws violating the rule will be fined. “They are the slowest moving vehicles because they are threewheeled and unstable.

    In mixed traffic conditions, the speed of the road is determined by the slowest moving vehicles. We believe there will be smooth flow of traffic if we can segregate autos from other vehicles,” Dayananda said.

    Proposed initially under the Bangalore Traffic Improvement Project (B-TRAC) in 2008, a total of 4.5 km was marked out as dedicated auto lanes. The second attempt, which started a month ago, has received a mixed response. The police themselves removed the lanes on Cubbon and Old Airport roads, apparently because not many autos ply on them. On Kasturba Road (between Hudson Circle and Siddalingaiah circle), autorickshaw lanes have been barricaded on both sides of the road, leaving a narrow path for other traffic. “During peak hours, two-wheeler riders simply cross over to the auto lanes by lifting or simply tearing off the tape,” said N Anand, a chauffeur who frequents Kasturba Road.

    Urban transport expert MN Sreehari said the very concept of lanes in Bengaluru doesn’t quite make sense.

    “How is it possible when 60% of the roads are narrow? Asking autos to ply left would be problematic as all bus stops are on the left. Lanes for autos would work only on three-laned roads and wider roads like the ones near Anand Rao Circle or KR Circle,” he said.

    Auto drivers, too, are not very excited. Ask 43-yearold driver Vijay Kumar about lane discipline. “We pose no danger. In fact, lane discipline is needed for twowheelers. More importantly, government should get the roads fixed first.”

    The Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union, representing close to 50,000 auto drivers, said it will give the new rule a try. “The earlier attempt, unlike this one, lacked determination. From our end, we’ve asked cops to ensure no other vehicles ply on our lanes,” union president M Manjunath said.


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