To combat worsening traffic, the BTP submitted 5-point proposal to Karnataka government. The recommendation is a regulated carpooling system to reduce single-occupancy cars. Other proposed measures include stricter heavy vehicle movement, higher traffic penalties, restricting 2-wheelers on select flyovers, and tighter regulation of private buses.
The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) have proposed introducing a regulated carpooling system to help ease the city’s worsening traffic congestion. The recommendation is part of a comprehensive five-point proposal submitted to the Karnataka government for consideration. The government is yet to take a decision on the recommendations.
The proposal seeks to create a legal framework that permits and regulates carpooling instead of leaving the practice in a grey area. Traffic police believe that encouraging people travelling along similar routes to share vehicles could help reduce the number of single-occupancy cars on Bengaluru’s roads and improve overall traffic flow.
Apart from regulated carpooling, the BTP’s proposal contains four additional recommendations aimed at improving traffic management. These include imposing stricter restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles during peak hours, restoring higher traffic penalties to improve compliance with road rules, restricting two-wheelers on select flyovers where necessary for smoother traffic movement, and introducing tighter regulation of private buses operating within the city.
The traffic officials believe that a regulated carpooling model would allow genuine ride-sharing while ensuring it is clearly distinguished from commercial passenger transport services. The proposal is intended to encourage more commuters to share rides without creating regulatory ambiguity.
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The recommendations come as Bengaluru continues to grapple with severe traffic congestion, particularly during peak commuting hours. By combining regulatory changes with targeted traffic management measures, the Bengaluru Traffic Police hope to reduce vehicle density on major roads and improve mobility across the city.
According to The Hindu report, Manu Sharma, a resident of Banashankari, regularly carpools to Bellandur through a non-commercial arrangement. He picks up his friends from Jayanagar, who also work at a company near Bellandur, and they share the fuel cost. “It is very beneficial for us because we don’t have to rely on cabs or crowded buses. If the present hurdles are addressed, the system will pick up easily because it is very convenient,” he said.
Civic activist V. Ravichandar, welcomed the move, stressing that it would essentially allow better utilisation of existing assets by creating a system of quasi-public transport through indirect additions to the public transport fleet. “If the system is implemented with the backing of technology, safety concerns can be eliminated, and service timings can also be restricted to specific hours. It will definitely reduce the burden on city traffic,” he told The Hindu.
The five-point proposal is currently with the Karnataka government, and no announcement has been made on whether or when these measures will be implemented. Until a policy decision is taken, regulated carpooling remains a proposal under review rather than an approved initiative.
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