Bengaluru launches multi-pronged strategy to ease traffic woes; vehicle towing to be back

In a renewed effort to address Bengaluru’s persistent traffic congestion, the Karnataka government has revived a previously stalled towing initiative and introduced new regulations for street vendors. The towing of improperly parked vehicles will now resume along 22 key corridors—a plan first proposed six months ago but delayed until now.

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Illegal parking remains a significant contributor to the city's traffic chaos. Over the past four years, traffic police have booked more than 16 lakh cases related to wrong parking, including 4.2 lakh violations in 2021 alone. Officials anticipate that reintroducing towing operations will help clear obstructions, particularly around intersections and on footpaths, thereby improving road flow and pedestrian safety.

Average vehicular speeds in the city have plummeted to a sluggish 18 kmph, exacerbated by broken roads, unauthorized parking, and lax enforcement. The government believes that towing will serve both as a deterrent and a corrective measure.

To further support pedestrian movement and reduce road encroachment, over 27,000 street vendors have been formally registered and will soon operate only within designated vending zones.

In parallel, urban mobility plans include integrating service roads with main roads near Metro construction sites and digitizing property records to enhance city planning and traffic management.