Bengaluru Traffic Police propose daytime ban on heavy vehicles and private buses
The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has proposed a major traffic management overhaul to categorise heavy and medium vehicles into five groups and impose phased entry-exit restrictions within Bengaluru, including the Central Business District. The proposal, aimed at increasing average city vehicle speeds by at least 2 kmph and reducing congestion, includes restricting All India Permit (AIP) private buses and heavy vehicles from entering the city during daytime hours.
Under the new proposal, cargo and heavy vehicles will be split into five categories: heavy vehicles above 16 tonnes, heavy vehicles between 8 and 16 tonnes, mid-sized goods vehicles, other slow-moving vehicles such as tractors and carts, and AIP buses.
Inter-state AIP private buses would be barred from entering the city between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. This change will require private operators to run alternative shuttle services to transport passengers from designated base points outside the city. Furthermore, vehicles weighing over 16 tonnes would face a complete ban within the city, forcing operators to set up transhipment points outside city limits.
Additionally, vehicles weighing between 8 and 16 tonnes would be restricted from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., while mid-sized goods vehicles would be barred during peak hours. Slow-moving vehicles would face bans on specific stretches, including the Central Business District. These rules will not apply to trucks carrying essential commodities.
The BTP aims to address the city's severe congestion. According to the TomTom Traffic Index, the average speed in Bengaluru was 14 km/h in 2025. The BTP expects the restrictions to lower accident risks and improve travel speeds by removing slow-moving heavy vehicles from busy junctions. This new model is based on a system implemented in Hyderabad in 2024.
If implemented, this system will override a 2014 directive issued by former police commissioner M.N. Reddi, which only restricted heavy vehicles during peak hours. Since then, vehicle numbers in Bengaluru have doubled from 60 lakh in 2015 to 1.2 crore.
V. Ravichandar, a member of the Brand Bengaluru Committee, welcomed the proposal but noted that transhipment points must be discussed with the logistics sector. Conversely, G.R. Shanmugappa, president of the Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners and Agents Association, opposed the move. Shanmugappa argued that the restrictions would increase logistics costs and lead to more small trucks on the road, worsening traffic.
