Bhubaneswar: Police launched a lane driving test run along Jayadev Vihar-Nalco Chowk route on Tuesday. The trial involved a small section of road where temporary cone-shaped barriers created three distinct lanes.
During the initial testing phase, vehicles were permitted to use any lane. However, police will soon designate specific lanes for different types of vehicle.
DCP (traffic) Tapan Mohanty said, “We are initially educating motorists, who are not acquainted with the lane driving system. The initiative is aimed at reducing the speed of vehicles and minimizing accidents.”
A police officer explained that infrastructure improvements would include thermoplastic paint for lane markings, signage boards, speed monitoring equipment and bollards. The proposed speed limits are 45 km/hr for two-wheelers in the left lane, 40 km/hr for heavy vehicles in the middle, and 45 km/hr for cars in the right lane.
According to police sources, though an attempt was made in 2020 to introduce lane driving in Bhubaneswar, it could not take off.
The transport department referenced a Supreme Court directive from Nov 30, 2017, which had instructed states to implement motor vehicles regulations 2017, specifically regarding lane driving and overtaking protocols.
Mohanty outlined various traffic improvement measures being implemented. Police data showed road accident fatalities in Bhubaneswar increased from 180 in 2021 to 196 in 2022, reaching 237 in 2023. He added, “We recently initiated a new programme called ‘traffic warden’, where ex-servicemen have been appointed to regulate traffic flow at various intersections. We will resume student traffic volunteer initiative soon.”