5 months ago
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Despite a wide ban, two-wheelers and autorickshaws proceed to participate the main carriageway of the Bengaluru–Mysuru access-controlled highway, raising superior information concerns among regular users of the stretch.
Commuters accidental the persistent beingness of prohibited vehicles not lone interrupts the escaped travel of fast-moving postulation but besides importantly increases the hazard of accidents, fixed the precocious velocity of the vehicles connected the highway.
It has been astir 2 years since the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) enforced restrictions barring definite categories of vehicles from utilizing the main carriageway of the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway. The prohibition covers two-wheelers, autorickshaws, tractors, non-motorised vehicles, multi-axle hydraulic trailers and quadricycles. However, contempt repeated advisories and enforcement drives successful the archetypal phase, violations proceed unabated, with 2 and three-wheelers often spotted connected the stretch.
Several motorists allege that the deficiency of accordant monitoring has allowed violators to participate the main carriageway of the highway. They constituent retired that road patrol vehicles and postulation constabulary personnel, who were erstwhile stationed astatine introduction and exit points, are present seldom seen enforcing the ban. This lack of disposable policing, commuters say, has allowed prohibited vehicles to gaffe done unchecked, endangering themselves and others.
Amruth Raj, who regularly travels betwixt Bengaluru and Mysuru, said that helium encounters banned vehicles connected the road astir each day. According to him, autorickshaws are peculiarly disposable during aboriginal greeting hours, particularly up to the Sheshagirihalli toll plaza successful Ramanagara district. “Many of these autos usage the flyover adjacent the NICE Road junction successful the aboriginal hours. On a fewer occasions, I person adjacent seen motorcycles riding successful the incorrect direction. Such behaviour turns this agelong into an accident-prone zone,” helium said.
Ban since August 2023
The prohibition was formally notified by the NHAI connected August 1, 2023, citing information concerns arising from mixed postulation conditions. The question of high-speed vehicles whitethorn airs a hazard to the information of definite classes of comparatively slow-moving vehicles, for example, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and different slow-moving vehicles similar non-motorised vehicles, cultivation tractors (with oregon without trailers), owed to their vulnerability and associated velocity differentials, and compromises roadworthy information aspects.
Rajendra Prasad, a nonmigratory of Mandya who often commutes to Bengaluru, said that abrupt introduction of two-wheelers into high-speed postulation lanes tin easy distract drivers of four-wheeled vehicles and pb to collisions. “Earlier, the prohibition was strictly enforced, and information unit were deployed astatine entree points. Now, immoderate people, driven by reckless thrill-seeking, proceed to unit their mode onto the highway,” helium said.
Mr. Prasad besides recalled a caller incidental successful which helium saw a motorcyclist speeding connected the road aft deliberately covering the vehicle’s fig sheet to debar identification. “Even a insignificant mistake successful specified situations could outgo lives,” helium added.
Monitoring systems
Other commuters person questioned however two-wheelers negociate to bypass toll plazas without being stopped. Ashok M., different predominant idiosyncratic of the highway, said that galore bikers who participate the main carriageway illegally besides flout lane discipline, riding successful the mediate and close lanes meant for faster vehicles. “If this continues without involution from the constabulary oregon NHAI, it could effect successful superior accidents connected the corridor,” helium warned.
Responding to these concerns, NHAI officials said that precocious monitoring systems person been enactment successful spot to curb violations. According to officials, Artificial Intelligence-powered postulation enforcement cameras person been installed astatine cardinal locations on some the Bengaluru–Nidaghatta and Nidaghatta–Mysuru sections. “Dedicated cameras positioned astatine regular intervals are intended to heighten surveillance and observe a scope of violations, including the introduction of slow-moving and prohibited vehicles onto the main carriageway,” an authoritative said.
