Two-wheelers, autorickshaws continue to flout ban on Bengaluru–Mysuru highway; commuters raise safety concerns

The persistent flouting of vehicle restrictions on the main carriageway of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway (NH-275) highlights critical challenges in India's infrastructure management and road safety efforts. This issue, nearly two years after the ban's implementation by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), offers a significant case study for competitive exam aspirants to understand the complexities of governance, policy enforcement, and public cooperation.

**Background Context and What Happened:**

The Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, officially known as NH-275, is a flagship infrastructure project designed to significantly reduce travel time between Karnataka's capital, Bengaluru, and the cultural city of Mysuru. The 10-lane access-controlled highway, spanning approximately 118 kilometers, was developed at a cost of around ₹8,400 crore. Its primary objective was to facilitate high-speed movement of traffic, enhance trade, tourism, and overall economic activity in the region. Upon its inauguration, the NHAI, recognizing the inherent dangers of mixing high-speed traffic with slow-moving and vulnerable road users, enforced a ban. This restriction, which came into effect around August 2023 for the main carriageway, prohibited the entry of two-wheelers, autorickshaws, tractors, non-motorized vehicles, and specific agricultural vehicles. The rationale was clear: these vehicles, due to their design and speed limitations, pose a severe safety risk on an expressway built for speeds up to 100 kmph, particularly when interacting with faster-moving cars, buses, and trucks. Despite signage and initial enforcement drives, the article highlights that these vehicle categories continue to illegally use the main lanes, leading to significant safety concerns among commuters and contributing to accidents.

**Key Stakeholders Involved:**

Several entities play crucial roles in this ongoing situation. The **National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)** is the primary stakeholder, responsible for the planning, development, maintenance, and management of National Highways in India. They formulated and enforced the ban. The **Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)** provides the overarching policy framework and legislative authority for such decisions. **State Police and Traffic Departments** are critical for on-ground enforcement, issuing challans, and ensuring adherence to traffic laws. **Commuters**, both those adhering to the rules and those flouting them, are directly affected – the former by safety risks, the latter by potential penalties and accidents. **Local communities and vehicle associations** (e.g., for autorickshaws or two-wheelers) represent the interests of those restricted, often citing lack of adequate alternative routes or convenience as reasons for non-compliance.

**Why This Matters for India:**

This issue holds immense significance for India across multiple dimensions. Firstly, it underscores the critical challenge of **road safety**. India tragically leads the world in road accident fatalities, with hundreds of thousands of lives lost annually. Measures like segregated traffic lanes on expressways are vital steps towards achieving the national goal of reducing road accident deaths by 50% by 2030, in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. Secondly, it highlights the **enforcement deficit** in governance. Despite clear regulations and infrastructure investments, the inability to ensure compliance undermines the very purpose of these projects. This points to systemic issues in policing, public awareness, and punitive actions. Thirdly, the **economic impact** is considerable. While expressways aim to boost economic activity by improving connectivity, persistent safety issues can deter usage, increase logistics costs due to accidents, and strain public health resources. Finally, it reflects the broader challenges in **urban and regional planning**, where rapid infrastructure development must be accompanied by sustainable solutions for all road users, including dedicated service roads and public transport alternatives.

**Historical Context and Future Implications:**

India's journey in highway development has evolved significantly since independence. From basic national highways, the focus has shifted towards building world-class expressways, notably accelerated since the late 1990s with projects like the Golden Quadrilateral. This shift emphasizes speed, efficiency, and safety through access control. The Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway is a prime example of this modern approach. The continued flouting of norms on such a key corridor has crucial future implications. It necessitates stronger enforcement mechanisms, possibly leveraging advanced technologies like AI-powered surveillance and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. It also calls for robust public awareness campaigns to educate road users about the dangers and the law. Furthermore, it highlights the need for adequate and well-maintained service roads alongside expressways to cater to restricted vehicles, ensuring their mobility without compromising safety on the main carriageway. The success or failure of enforcing rules on this expressway will undoubtedly influence policy decisions and implementation strategies for future high-speed corridors across the country.

**Related Constitutional Articles, Acts, or Policies:**

The legal framework for this issue is primarily derived from the **Motor Vehicles Act, 1988**, which governs all aspects of road transport, including traffic regulation, licensing, and penalties. The **Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019**, significantly enhanced penalties for traffic violations and introduced provisions to improve road safety, giving more teeth to enforcement agencies. The **National Highways Act, 1956**, empowers the Central Government and bodies like NHAI to declare, develop, and maintain National Highways. Constitutionally, **Article 246** and the **Seventh Schedule** place "National highways" under the **Union List (Entry 23)**, granting the central government legislative and executive competence over them. From a fundamental rights perspective, unsafe roads and the potential for accidents infringe upon the **Right to Life (Article 21)**, making road safety a matter of constitutional importance. The **National Road Safety Policy** of India also provides a broad framework for improving road safety through education, engineering, enforcement, and emergency care.