Nearly a third of the accidents reported on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway in the last six months involved two-wheelers, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday, explaining the ban on motorcycles, auto-rickshaws and non-motorised vehicles.
Starting August 1, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which comes under the ministry, has banned these "slow-moving" vehicles from the main carriageway of the 118-km expressway.
The ministry said most accidents involving two-wheelers resulted in deaths or grievous injuries. Another 25 per cent of accidents were caused by rear-end collisions, mainly because slow-moving vehicles occupied the right-most lane and broke lane discipline, it added.
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Overall, 65-75 per cent of accidents were caused by car drivers and bike riders moving at speeds of up to 160 kmph, the ministry said, adding that the expressway speed limit is 80-100 kmph.
The expressway has reported 398 accidents and 121 deaths since its opening in January, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha on July 27.
The ministry said two- and three-wheelers could use the toll-free, seven-metre-wide, two-lane service road situated on either side of the expressway.
It acknowledged gaps on the service road due to railway overbridges at Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna and Mandya, and said slow-moving vehicles could use the old Bengaluru-Mysuru Road (National Highway 275) at these points.
Such vehicles can use the service road for 79.6 km and 35.4 km on NH 275 to travel from one end to another. But if they wish to reach these towns along the expressway, the service road is available.
The ministry further said construction would start shortly on three road overbridges on the service road to make it continuous throughout the expressway. It also promised to improve NH 275 bypass.