Days after the BBMP planned to install reflective studs instead of bollards to demarcate the priority lane for BMTC buses along the outer ring road, police have banned private vehicles on the lane with immediate effect.
Police commissioner Bhaskar Rao has notified that the single lane “from Silk Board Junction to KR Puram and Baiyappanahalli” will be exclusively reserved for BMTC buses, ambulance and fire engines. “The entry of all other vehicles on the lane is prohibited,” the notification read.
Stopping or parking vehicles, except BMTC buses, on the bus lane, is also banned.
“The set-up will help reduce congestion on the outer ring road by allowing passengers to travel faster on BMTC buses,” the notification said.
BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said though the notification identifies only one side of the road (from Silk Board to KR Puram) as the exclusive lane, the rule will come in to effect in both directions.
“We have completed installing studs on 12-km of the stretch from Lowry Circle to Iblur. If rain doesn’t disrupt the work, we hope to finish the work on both sides of the road,” Kumar told DH.
Meanwhile, BMTC officials said they have already started running the trials, and a formal launch of the priority bus lane would take place after ironing out the minor issues.
One-way roads
Meanwhile, the commissioner has notified some stretches of the road as one-way. The Marathahalli Bridge to HDFC Home Loan Building, E-zone Club to Marathahalli and Jeevika Hospital, Marathahalli Bridge to Kadubeesanahalli Junction, both sides of the service lane between Kadubeesanahalli Junction and Devarabeesanahalli Junction, Kadubeesanahalli Junction to Marathahalli Bridge service road stretches have been made one-way.