Bengaluru Traffic: High Court Suggests Karnataka Govt To Revisit School Timings, Commercial Working Hours To Ease Congestion

The Karnataka High Court, with a view to ease traffic congestion in Bengaluru, has suggested the State government to call a meeting of stakeholders and take up the issue of revisiting school timings and working hours of Industrial Units, Factories, Commercial Houses and Companies.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit while hearing a public interest litigation filed by NGO Samarpana Socio-Cultural Organisation said,

“The state government through Secretary of School Education and Higher Education may call a meeting of the stakeholders such as the representatives of private institutions, government institutions, school bus operators, body of the parents associations and may take up an issue of revisiting the school timings, so as to ease the traffic and at the same time consider the aspect of security and safety of the children.”

On similar lines, Court said, the Secretary of Industries and Labour may also call a meeting of stakeholders such as Representatives of the Associations of Industries, Factories, or Allied Units, Industrial Organisation, Chamber of Commerce, and discuss revisiting the working hours of these Industrial Units, Factories, Commercial Houses, Companies etc.

The bench clarified that the stakeholders may also provide suggestions of either flexi hours of working or any other such suggestion for ease of traffic and reduction of burden of vehicles plying on roads in peak hours.

Referring to a notification issued in 2014 by the Commissioner of Police, prohibiting entry of heavy vehicles between 6 am to 10 pm between Sadahalli gate to Hebbal flyover, the court said, “In our opinion if the notification is implemented by giving a full scope to prohibition referred above, it may result in reduction of traffic congestion.”

The court has also asked the authorities to prepare a project report of the Metro rail line, expanding the timeline i.e. project report be prepared for year 2023-2024 and the exercise for preparation of project report be expedited.

Finally it said, “We permit the state government to proceed further and to take appropriate steps already initiated by the state government for ease of traffic and by considering the direction/suggestion of petitioner and the court, submit a fresh status and action taken report to this court after six weeks."

Case Title: SAMARPANA CULTURAL AND SOCIAL And State of Karnataka & Others

Case No: WP 6585/2020

Appearance: Advocate G R Mohan for petitioner.