Weekend traffic ban on Church Street kicks off today

The state government’s much-delayed efforts to introduce pedestrian-friendly measures on Church Street will finally take off on Saturday.

Motor vehicles will be restricted from entering Church Street as part of the Clean Air Street initiative, which has been funded by the Catapult Network, a UK-based organisation. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have come together to implement the measures. Church Street is a testbed for assessing the changes in air quality.

Church Street is among several city roads that are proposed to be closed to motor vehicles every weekend for five months. The aim is to reprioritise clean mobility and demonstrate the positive impact of streets focused on people and sustainable behaviours.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will give a green signal to the event at 11 am on Saturday. In addition, Church Street will be transformed into a demonstration area for clean air innovations.

The Church Street Residents’ Welfare Association has expressed concerns over possible crowding during the event. “We have reached out to DULT officials, Catapult Network and the IISc, expressing concerns about the possible exacerbation of the pandemic as it brings more crowds. Most of us are senior citizens and have been advised to avoid crowds in view of social distancing,” Ramasastry Ambarish, the president of the association, told DH.

DULT had held multiple meetings with the residents to address their concerns. Officials had promised to provide the necessary exceptions to make sure there’s no restriction on the movement of residents.

Ambarish, however, said that while passes had been given for residents’ vehicles, drivers and those working in the apartments hadn’t received them.