Bikers question flyover ban in traffic-choked B’luru

Bengaluru

Two-wheeler riders in Bengaluru, already frustrated by long, sticky traffic jams and frequent police checks, are now voicing strong opposition to the Bengaluru Traffic Police’s (BTP) decision to restrict two-wheelers on five major flyovers and elevated corridors in the city. The BTP has announced a ban on two-wheelers on select flyovers and elevated corridors from September 4, citing the need to ease traffic congestion and reduce fatal accidents.

The affected stretches are the BGS Sirsi, Peenya, Silk Board-Ragigudda and Electronics City flyovers, along with the International Airport Road Elevated Corridor from Sanjeevnagar Cross to Vidyashilp Junction.With Bengaluru having around 87 lakh registered two wheelers, the decision has triggered criticism from motorcyclist and biker communities, who question whether restricting two wheelers on flyovers will actually address congestion.

Many riders argue that the city’s traffic woes are more closely linked to the growing number of private cars on the roads. “I have a 450cc bike that I mainly use for long rides outside the city or when I travel back home. The Electronics City flyover saves a lot of time because it allows me to bypass all the signals below.

With this decision, however, all two-wheelers that would otherwise use the flyover to exit the city will now have to pass through those signals, adding to an already heavy traffic situation and making congestion worse,” said Noel John, a working professional. Some motorists said the restrictions could even encourage people to shift from two-wheelers to cars.

“I’ll use my car now,” said a motorcyclist speaking to News Trail, indicating that the move could have the opposite of its intended effect. Another working professional, Amogh Kumar Sanji, said he had mixed feelings about the decision but hoped it would ultimately help address the city’s traffic congestion. Motorcyclist Tejasvi Devang questioned the need for the restrictions, arguing that several flyovers have sufficient lanes to accommodate traffic.

“I don’t know why this chaos is coming out now. Most of these flyovers have enough lanes for vehicles to travel freely even if all of them are being used at once,” he said. He pointed out that elevated corridors were constructed to make commuting faster and questioned whether banning two-wheelers would defeat that purpose.

“Now we will be pushed back into the same old traffic, having to take twice the time that cars would take through the flyovers. What if a biker needs to reach a destination immediately? Will he have to take the normal route even when there are flyovers built?” he asked.

Devang also pointed to Bengaluru’s growing nightlife and the increasing number of motorcycle enthusiasts and motor vloggers. He said the restrictions could particularly affect superbike riders who prefer smoother stretches such as elevated roads for their rides. “Now, if they want to ride, they will have to head towards the highways,” he said.

Echoing the sentiment among sections of the biker community, motor-content creator ‘Golden Throttle’ Satish Gowda posted a video on Instagram reacting to the restrictions. He questioned what he described as a series of restrictions and taxes imposed on bikers. “The authorities are so irritated with bikers that they have now banned us from flyovers.

First there was the ban on certain lights on bikes, exhaust restrictions, speed limitations, the 40% tax, road tax and petrol tax. Why don’t they just ban bikes altogether then? If they do that, we don’t have to simply buy bikes,” he said in his video. He also suggested that authorities should focus on improving road safety and enforcement rather than imposing blanket restrictions.

“Authorities should tell the RTO officials to make sure they check properly before issuing licences and see whether people can actually drive properly on public roads. Also, please tell the civic authorities to fix the roads and fill the potholes before taking such decisions,” he said, taking a swipe at the Greater Bengaluru Authority.