Parking policy: Interstate, intercity buses to be barred from core areas

The new parking policy has called for barring intercity and interstate buses from the core areas of Bengaluru, besides closely watching transport and goods vehicles to check the clogging of roads in areas such as Hebbal, KR Puram and Silk Board junction.

The idea of restricting long-distance buses to the city’s periphery has been mooted several times in the past decade. The KSRTC even tried to shift some of its north-bound buses to the Basaveshwara Terminal in Peenya but that didn’t succeed.

The policy has sought to end traffic congestion caused by long-distance buses in the core city, including multiple pick-up and drop-off points, waiting and halting.

“Strategic locations may be identified for setting up satellite bus stations and depots for state-run and private intercity and interstate services. These should be preferably located near crossroads of major highways entering the city and the peripheral ring road alignment,” the policy suggests.

The policy says private buses would be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at designated areas but they must be parked on the operators’ own premises.

The policy has suggested immediate and long-term measures. In the short term, authorities have to introduce time-based restrictions for parking, loading and unloading of goods by such vehicles though smaller vehicles carrying essential commodities will be exempted.

In the long term, truck terminals with warehousing facilities have to be set up on the periphery in all directions. Another measure is to shift the wholesale markets to places outside the city.