Penalty up to Rs 1,000 for straying into bus lane

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Thursday warned motorists that driving on the bus priority lane on Outer Ring Road will attract a fine of Rs 500 for the first offence, which will go up to Rs 1,000 for subsequent violations.

The BMTC and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are spreading awareness on the ORR bus priority lane by distributing pamphlets, besides posting content online.

The buses operating on the lane will have cameras at the front and back, which will record the vehicles violating the rule. The video footage will be submitted to the traffic police, who will initiate action against such vehicles, officials said.

BBMP commissioner B H Anil Kumar held a meeting of the stakeholders to discuss the infrastructure needed to be set up to successfully implement the bus lane system. Officials decided that marshals would ensure that no vehicles, except the BMTC buses, enter the lane.

The BBMP is also working on identifying 32 points along the 20-km bus priority lane to set up bus stops.

The BMTC has said that it carries nearly half of the commuters who use the bus priority lane. Authorities expect the congestion on the ORR to come down as more commuters switch from private vehicles to buses.