Trucks defy ban, create bottlenecks across Bengaluru

BENGALURU: On paper, there is a ban on trucks and heavy vehicles entering urban areas between 6am and 10pm. But on city roads, freight vehicles move around even during peak hours, throwing rules to the wind.
In Bengaluru, traffic police have modified the ban hours in consultation with truckers, from 7am to 11am and 4pm to 9pm. Yet, trucks create bottlenecks at major arterial corridors like Outer Ring Road, Hosur Road, Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road, Varthur - Whitefield Road and Ballari Road.With around 10,000 freight vehicles moving in and out of the city every day, those travelling towards core areas from the outskirts as well those commuting on the periphery are feeling the pinch. Schoolchildren and officegoers are forced to spend hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Traffic police say there are logistical problems in effectively implementing the ban. Added to that is two national highways (No: 7 and 4) and several state highways passing through the city.
"Trucks are stopped at all toll booths or outposts on national highways leading to the city during the ban hours. But those which would have entered the city just before the ban hours are free to move around. In such cases, cops try to stop them whenever possible," said MA Saleem, additional commissioner of police (traffic). Terminals or lay-bys have been built along national and state highways to ensure heavy vehicles and their drivers have a place to rest during banned hours. But truckers say they incur a huge loss as the cost of delayed delivery has to be borne by them or the operators. "Essential services have to be delivered through the day," said GR Shanmugappa, president of All India Motor Transport Congress.