Govt may consider Nanos as replacement for autos

The State government will examine a proposal made by the BBMP Commissioner that Tata Nano cars or similar vehicles could replace autorickshaws in the City to ensure commuter safety.

At the first State Road Safety Council meeting held here on Tuesday, BBMP Commissioner M N Lakshminarayana proposed that the State government should provide subsidy to those who come forward to buy Tata Nano or similar cars for public transport purpose. The meeting chaired by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy decided that the proposal would be examined under the provisions of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.  

The members of the council suggested that the system of boarding the public transport bus from the rear door and alighting from the front door as practised in Mumbai be introduced in Bangalore.

 This will ensure better safety for passengers and reduce traffic jams. The council has asked BBMP, BMTC and the traffic police to discuss the suggestion. Transport Department Principal Secretary P Ravi Kumar asked the representatives of various departments to frame a plan of action within 30 days and submit it for further action. The transport department suggested that at least one vehicle driving training school be set up by the government in each district. There are already two vehicle driving training schools, one in the BBMP area limits and the other in Dharwad. 

A senior police officer suggested increasing the penalty imposed on traffic law violators. The members decided to go through the Motor Vehicle Act in this regard and take up the matter with the State government. The members also suggested telecasting videos on road safety measures by taking the help of Centre for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transport and Urban Planning (CiSTUP).