Bengaluru’s roads are becoming a battleground for motorists, with a growing outcry against heavy lorries that persistently hog the right-most lanes on key highways. This issue is particularly prevalent on the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), widely known as NICE Road, but similar complaints are echoing from the Bengaluru–Mysuru expressway and the Nelamangala–Tumakuru highway.
Commuters report that this habit doesn’t just slow down the flow of traffic; it actively creates dangerous situations. Smaller, faster vehicles attempting to navigate around these slow-moving behemoths are often forced into precarious overtaking maneuvers, significantly escalating the risk of accidents.
NICE Road: From Smooth Drive to Nightmare
Once lauded as a serene alternative to the city’s notoriously congested routes, NICE Road is rapidly transforming into a commuter’s nightmare. Designed for efficient traffic flow, the road now sees a constant stream of heavy lorries—many using it to bypass city congestion—fundamentally altering the driving experience.
Drivers routinely complain that despite the road’s design for speeds around 80 kmph, these large vehicles frequently lumber along in the right-most lane at a mere 40 kmph. This blatant disregard for lane discipline forces cars into dangerous weaving patterns or even compels them to encroach upon designated two-wheeler lanes, dramatically increasing collision risks.
Prashanth Kumar, a daily commuter between Bannerghatta Road and Mysuru Road, vividly described his challenges. “NICE Road, in one direction, only has two main lanes plus a dedicated bike lane. Lorries should absolutely keep to the left, allowing faster vehicles free passage on the right. Yet, almost half of them stubbornly remain in the right lane. Since they can’t easily overtake each other, massive bottlenecks form. Cars are then left with no choice but to zig-zag or dangerously slip into the bike lane. Being trapped between two lorries at close quarters is truly terrifying. We urgently need proper signage enforcing lane discipline,” he emphasized.
Venkatesh Murthy, another motorist who regularly travels from Kanakapura Road to Tumakuru Road, highlighted the extreme hazards of nighttime driving. “The NICE stretch is absolutely terrifying after dark. Trucks dominate the right lane, and there are hardly any streetlights. I once drove during a heavy downpour and had to be hyper-alert; it was a truly dreadful experience,” he recounted.
Highways Face Similar Headaches
The problem isn’t confined to NICE Road alone. Drivers on the access-controlled Bengaluru–Mysuru expressway and the Nelamangala–Tumakuru stretch report identical issues.
Prasanna Kumar, a frequent traveler to Mangaluru from Bengaluru who also uses the Tumakuru road, confirmed the widespread nature of the issue. “On both the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway and the Tumakuru road, it’s common to see three lorries in a row occupying the fast lane. They maintain the same speed, leaving no space for other vehicles to pass safely. This puts every other motorist at serious risk,” he stated.
Truckers Offer Their Perspective
Lorry drivers, however, present a counter-argument, asserting that their driving habits are not reckless but rather economically pragmatic. Rajana K., a veteran lorry driver with 15 years on the road, explained that heavy vehicle operators prioritize maintaining a steady speed of 50–60 kmph to maximize fuel efficiency.
“Our earnings are directly tied to how much fuel we save. The right-most lane allows us to cruise at a consistent speed without constant braking or accelerating. The left lane, unfortunately, is often blocked by parked vehicles, tractors, or slow-moving auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers. We aren’t intentionally breaking rules; we’re just trying to do our jobs as efficiently as possible,” he clarified.
Traffic police officials acknowledge the ongoing challenge. A senior officer confirmed that regular enforcement drives are conducted to penalize those who violate lane discipline. Furthermore, NICE authorities have installed signs along various sections of the road, explicitly instructing vehicles on proper lane usage. “Despite these measures, many truckers continue to improperly use the fast lane. We are intensifying surveillance and issuing fines to curb these violations,” the officer added. Attempts to reach NICE authorities for further comment were unsuccessful.