Bengaluru: In a landmark move, Karnataka has introduced new amendments to the Motor Vehicles Rules that place cyclists and pedestrians at the heart of urban road planning. The rules, notified this week, are designed to make the city’s streets safer, greener, and more inclusive.
Key Provisions
- Dedicated Cycle Tracks: All new arterial and sub‑arterial roads must include cycle lanes wherever feasible, ensuring safer commutes for cyclists.
- Pedestrian Priority: Footpaths must be at least 1.5 metres wide, free from encroachments, and accessible to persons with disabilities.
- School Zone Safety: Speed limits near schools will be capped at 25 kmph, with mandatory pedestrian crossings and stricter enforcement.
- Frequent Crossings: Urban roads must provide pedestrian crossings every 150 metres to improve walkability.
- Safe Distance for Cyclists: Motorists must maintain a minimum 1.5‑metre gap when overtaking cyclists.
Enforcement and Penalties
The rules come with teeth:
- Parking or driving on footpaths and cycle tracks will attract fines of ₹1,000 for first‑time offenders and ₹5,000 for repeat violations.
- Civic agencies may face penalties up to ₹1 lakh if poor road design or maintenance leads to accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists.
- Continuous violations can result in daily fines of ₹1,000.
Public Response
Residents and cycling advocates have welcomed the changes. For years, Bengaluru’s cyclists have struggled with unsafe roads and encroached footpaths. The new rules, if implemented effectively, could transform commuting habits and encourage more people to adopt cycling as a sustainable mode of transport.
Urban mobility experts, however, caution that enforcement will be critical. Policies have often looked promising on paper, but execution has lagged. The success of these rules will depend on strict monitoring and accountability.
Why It Matters
- Health and Safety: Encourages active lifestyles and reduces accident risks.
- Sustainable Mobility: Promotes cycling as eco‑friendly transport in a city battling congestion and pollution.
- Urban Transformation: Positions Bengaluru as a model for pedestrian‑friendly and cyclist‑centric infrastructure in India.
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