BENGALURU: The High Court on Friday disposed of a petition seeking directions not to allow halting or parking of government and private buses within the city limits. The petition had urged that they should be allowed only on the city outskirts. While disposing the PIL, the court observed that the petition needs to be more comprehensive in nature and directed the petitioner to withdraw it and file it afresh with certain modifications. The court was hearing a PIL stating the city was facing an ever-increasing traffic problem and thus there is a dire need to stop halt or park private and KSRTC buses only on the city outskirts. “It will also lead to reduction of traffic jams and help in reducing noise and sound pollution in the city,” it stated.
The PIL also stated that the government was aware of these issues and had already constructed alternate bus stands on the city outskirts – at Peenya and on Mysuru Road, but they were not being used properly.
Master plan
While hearing another PIL relating to Revised Master Plan (RMP)-2031, the court orally observed that Bengaluru's traffic is a ‘Himalayan’ problem and felt the need for a single comprehensive body, comprising experts from all fields - planning, traffic, water, electricity among various others to be able to effectively address the concerns faced by the city.
“Bengaluru traffic is worse than a city like Mumbai where there is organised traffic despite being heavy in nature,” it observed.
