To curb traffic snarls, heavy vehicles to be banned from 9am to 10pm in Hubballi-Dharwad

Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissionerate has decided to ban the entry of heavy vehicles into the cities from 9am to 10pm.
Deputy commissioner of police (crime and traffic), B S Nemagoud, told TOI that the restriction on the entry of heavy vehicles is expected to put an end to the traffic woes of the twin cities.

The ban is likely to be clamped this week.

The twin cities have been witnessing severe traffic jams and slow movement of traffic every day. The slow pace of road works, including the Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS, and underground drainage and 24x7 water supply projects have been adding to the woes. The twin cities have been growing rapidly, resulting in an increase in population and the number of vehicles.

While the population was 9.43 lakh as per the 2011 Census, the number of vehicles has crossed 5 lakhs. A large number of vehicles also enter the twin cities en route to their destinations. The twin cities have been also growing due to new layouts and setting up of small and medium scale industries. They have also been emerged as an information technology hub.

Motorists say that due to the increase in industries, trucks carrying goods enter the central finance district, causing slow movement of traffic, besides traffic jams. It is also causing air and sound pollution.

Corporator of the ruling BJP, Shivanand Muttannavar, said that there was a dire need for ban on the entry of heavy vehicles as they are troubling people a lot. Ambulances are caught in traffic due to severe traffic jams caused due to heavy vehicles.

The Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) welcomed the move, but suggested that the plan be implemented systematically. "The ban on entry of heavy vehicles during day hour will help a lot in easing traffic and curbing accidents. I suggest that the police implement the plan on alternate days for a few days instead of suddenly (implementing the ban). Later, the plan can be implemented daily," said Ramesh Patil, president of KCCI.

It may be recalled that Bengaluru police banned the movement of all trucks and other slow-moving heavy vehicles (over a capacity of 3 tonnes) into the city between 6am and 10pm.