Karnataka Government Is Drafting Legislation To Enhance Pedestrian And Cyclist Safety

The Karnataka government has drafted a draught bill to ensure pedestrian and cycling amenities across cities, but previous initiatives have raised doubts about the development of a project, Bengaluru citizens said on Thursday.

The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) released a draught Active Mobility Bill, Karnataka 2021, which requires Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to facilitate the establishment of amenities for road users and recommends a fine if they do not on Wednesday.

The draft stated that is designed at preserving pedestrians and cyclists' rights to safe, accessible, and connected pedestrian including cycling networks in metropolitan areas throughout the State, with the goal of promoting sustainable urban transportation and building healthy communities. According to the draft, the current legal framework lacks specific provisions to assess and safeguard the rights of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as provide them with equitable space on highways.

The draft further mentioned that congestion and poor air quality have resulted from an exponential increase in the number of automobiles on city roadways. It has also resulted in an increase in traffic fatalities, with pedestrians and cyclists being particularly vulnerable. The legislation aims to provide pedestrians and bicycles the right of way.

As per Satya Shankran, Bengaluru's first 'Bicycle Mayor' and a founding member of Praja-Raag, a city-based citizens' organisation, the model is founded on the Singapore model. If the measure is accepted and made official by the government, it will assist to alleviate traffic congestion in the state to a considerable amount, he noted.

The current status of Bengaluru's cycle lanes, though, raises doubts about the ambitious proposal. Even if the CBD's freshly built cycle lanes look to be a hit, cyclists believe the overall number of tracks available is insufficient to allow them to pedal without colliding with cars or people.

According to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Pallike's (BBMP) comprehensive mobility plan, the city should create 174 kilometres of cycle routes. They raised the issue with the authorities and were able to revise the plan to develop 600 kilometres over the following ten years. However, this is insufficient.

According to him, the city has 14,000 km of roads, but only about 2,000 km are 15 m wide or wider, making them excellent for cycling. According to this, cycling tracks are only provided on 30% of the roadways in the existing plan. Even if we all agree on these plans, progress will be slow.