Nagpur: In a bid to curb traffic congestion and ensure smooth vehicular movement, Nagpur’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Lohit Matani, has issued an order restricting private travel buses from parking, picking up, or dropping passengers on roads within the city’s Inner Ring Road between 8 am and 10 pm.

According to the traffic department, hundreds of private travel buses operate daily in and out of Nagpur via major routes including Wardha Road, Amravati Road, Jabalpur Road, Chhindwara Road, Bhandara Road, and Umred Road. These include:

• Wardha Road: Around 642 buses to/from Wardha, Yavatmal, Chandrapur
• Amravati Road: Around 190 buses to/from Amravati, Pune, Nashik
• Chhindwara Road: Around 78 buses to/from Chhindwara
• Jabalpur Road: Around 296 buses to/from Bhopal, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
• Bhandara Road: Around 92 buses to/from Bhandara, Gondia, Chhattisgarh
• Umred Road: Around 308 buses to/from Brahmapuri, Wadsa, Gadchiroli

The DCP noted that most private operators do not have designated parking or pickup points. Their large turning radius and roadside stops cause traffic disruptions and increase accident risks. Several public representatives and citizens have lodged complaints about congestion caused by these buses.

While a few operators like Saini, Mahatma, Baba, Sawan, Maa Durga, and Khurana Travels have their own premises for passenger boarding and alighting, many others use pay-and-park facilities or park illegally, inconveniencing local residents and daily commuters. The administration has decided that such buses should operate only from outside the city limits, with alternative arrangements available for passengers through metro, taxis, and auto-rickshaws.

Key Restrictions Under the Order:

• No roadside parking, pickup, or drop for private travel buses within the Inner Ring Road from 8 am to 10 pm.
• No parking in “No Parking” zones outside the Ring Road.
• Only buses with their own dedicated premises can pick up/drop passengers from those locations.
• Operators without private parking cannot conduct roadside operations within the restricted zone.

Exemptions:

1. MSRTC buses operating from official bus stands, primarily serving rural and economically weaker passengers.
2. Company buses transporting employees to MIHAN/MIDC (with prior permission).
3. Buses for weddings or private events in or outside Nagpur (with prior permission).
4. Ambulances, emergency services, and school buses.
5. Senior citizen, women-special, and pilgrimage buses.

Bus operators have been given 7 days to update their websites, inform passengers about new stops, and make necessary arrangements. Violators will face action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The order will remain in effect from August 13 to September 12, 2025.

Traffic police have urged all operators and citizens to cooperate to avoid inconvenience and ensure smooth traffic flow in Nagpur city.