Karnataka HC suggests altering school and office timings to prevent traffic congestions

Bengaluru: Hearing a public interest litigation on the deteriorating traffic situation in Bengaluru city, the High Court of Karnataka has suggested that the State Government consider the possibility of revising timings of educational institutions and various industries and corporate businesses.

In the latest hearing of the PIL on Tuesday, the HC bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit said the Secretary of Industries and Labour should call a meeting of the representatives of industries, factories, the Chamber of Commerce and others and seek their opinion on revising the timings in factories, commercial enterprises and other workplaces.

Similarly, “The State Government through Secretary of School Education and Higher Education may call a meeting of the stakeholders and may take up the issue of revisiting the school timings, so as to ease the traffic and at the same time consider the aspect of security and safety of the children,” the HC said.

The PIL filed by Samarpana Trust in 2020, had sought implementation of a 2014 direction of the Supreme Court to avoid traffic congestions in cities. The PIL had specifically sought for scientific traffic management between Mekhri Circle and BDA head office here.

On Tuesday, the HC also directed the authorities to submit a project report on the expansion of the Namma Metro lines in 2023-24. The state government was directed to submit a status and action-taken report on the steps initiated to ease the traffic situation, and the hearing of the PIL was adjourned by six weeks.