Bengaluru may get phased restrictions on entry and exit timing of heavy vehicles

Bengaluru is likely to witness a major overhaul of traffic management as the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has proposed to categorize heavy and medium vehicles into five categories to introduce phased restrictions on entry and exit timing and movement of such vehicles in the city.

The proposal includes several major changes, including a restriction on the entry of private buses with All India Permit (AIP) operating interstate services into the city between 8 am and 10 pm and a complete restriction on heavy vehicles weighing more than 16 tonnes.

According to a BTP study, the move is expected to increase the average speed of vehicles in the city by at least 2 kmph.

According to the TomTom Traffic Index, the average speed in Bengaluru in 2025 was 14 km/h. But the primary goal of the move is to decongest the city by reducing slow-moving traffic and reducing the risk of accidents, an approach hailed by city planners as a “passenger-first” model.

New heavy vehicle mode

According to BTP sources, trucks and heavy vehicles would be categorized into five types: heavy vehicles above 16 tonnes, heavy vehicles between 8 and 16 tonnes, medium-sized trucks, other slow-moving vehicles such as tractors, carts and small trucks, and AIP buses.

Sources said AIP buses will be banned from entering the city between 8:00 am and 10:00 pm. As a result, private tour operators would have to adopt alternative measures such as operating shuttle buses to transport passengers from their designated base points.

In addition, the operation of vehicles weighing more than 16 tons within the city would be completely prohibited, which would mean that operators would have to set up transshipment points outside the city.

Vehicles weighing between 8 and 16 tonnes would be banned from entering the city between 7am and 10pm. Medium trucks would be banned from peak hours. Other slow-moving vehicles would face restrictions when entering certain sections, including the Central Business District. However, this rule will not apply to trucks carrying essential commodities.

Current model

Once implemented, the order will override the 2014 directive issued by the then police commissioner MN Reddi. Currently, the BTP is governed by a regulation that restricts entry into the city to only heavy vehicles during the morning and evening rush hours, while medium-sized vehicles are allowed to drive throughout the day. However, the city has undergone significant changes since then.

For example, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has stated on several occasions while advocating his flagship infrastructure projects such as the Tunnel Road that the number of vehicles in Bengaluru has increased from 60 million in 2015 to 1.2 billion, while the city’s infrastructure has largely remained stagnant.

A BTP source explained that slow-moving heavy vehicles contribute significantly to congestion, especially at junctions where there is almost no lane discipline. Restricting such vehicles would not only create more road space for passenger vehicles, but would also be expected to improve average travel speeds.

Hyderabad approach

The current proposal is modeled on the system adopted in Hyderabad, which led to a major traffic overhaul in 2024. BTP sources said the ministry has extensively studied traffic management models from across the country as well as international cities to understand what would suit Bengaluru best.

BTP is likely to convene a meeting of stakeholders soon to brief them on the proposal and incorporate any feasible changes before implementation.

An experiment is needed

V. Ravichandar, a member of the Brand Bengaluru committee, welcomed the proposal and termed it a desirable move based on the premise that passenger traffic should take priority over freight traffic. However, he stressed that the establishment of transshipment points for heavy vehicles outside the city must be discussed with the logistics industry before the proposal is implemented.

“The city needs such experiments at this time when there are limited infrastructure options. Calibration may be necessary in the future and can be done,” he said.

The truckers’ association is against it

Meanwhile, GR Shanmugappa, president of the Federation of Karnataka Truck Owners and Agents Association, opposed the move, saying it would increase logistics costs and ultimately increase prices for consumers if the proposal is implemented.

“If trucks above 16 tonnes are restricted from entering the city, then more than four smaller trucks will have to carry goods into the city, which will further increase traffic. This is not a scientific approach to solving congestion,” he said. He added that the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) should instead ensure stricter enforcement of parking and removal of abandoned vehicles to improve traffic flow.

Published – 15 Jul 2026 06:01 IST