The Government of Karnataka on April 08, 2026, issued the Draft Karnataka Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Rules, 2026 to further amend the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
The following amendments have been stated:
• In rule 2, after clause (r), the following shall be inserted, namely:-
(s) “Arterial Road” means a high-capacity corridor designed primarily for through movement, providing high mobility and continuity of travel over longer distances. Arterial roads typically connect major land-use centres, forming the primary structuring network of a geographical area;
(t) “Sub Arterial Road” means a road or street primarily for through traffic usually on a continuous route but offering somewhat lower level of traffic mobility than the arterial road. These are larger collector streets meant for movement through neighborhoods and to connect to arterial roads;
(u) “Collector Street” means a Street for collecting and distributing traffic from and to local streets and for providing access to arterial or sub arterial roads. They shall be designed with dedicated footpaths. Various speed reduction measures will be employed to limit vehicle speeds to less than 40 kmph and ensure safety of Non Motorized Transport users;
(v) “Local Street” means a street primarily for access to residence, business or other abutting property. Its primary function shall be for local activities and access to properties and not through movement of traffic. Local streets may not have a dedicated footpath and can be designed as shared space that gives priority to NMT modes. Various traffic calming elements will be employed to ensure that vehicle speeds are below 20 kmph, safe for intermingling of pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles;
In the said rules, after Chapter V-A and entries relating thereunder, the following new chapter shall be inserted, namely:-
“Chapter V-B NON-MOTORISED TRANSPORT AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDARDS
135L. Implementing and Monitoring Agencies.-(1) The concerned road owning agencies, the Public Works Department, Karnataka (hereinafter referred to as “PWD”) and the Urban Local Bodies (hereinafter referred to as “ULBs”), shall be the ‘Implementing Agency’ for the purposes of these rules and shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with these rules within their respective jurisdictions.
Explanation: The expression ‘Road Owning Agencies’ refers to all government departments, authorities, urban local bodies, development authorities, statutory bodies or any other agency responsible for the planning, design, construction, operation or maintenance of roads and associated right-of-way infrastructure, including but not limited to the Public Works Department (PWD), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR) and its agencies, Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), Cantonment Boards, Urban Local Bodies, and such other agencies as may be notified by the State Government from time to time.
(2)The Transport Department, or any other State-level body as may be notified by the Transport Department, shall be the ‘State Monitoring Agency' for implementing these rules and shall coordinate efforts between different departments to ensure regulation of activities and access of nonmotorised transport and pedestrians to public places.
(3) The Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) shall be the Monitoring Agency for Bengaluru and for other districts outside the Urban Mobility Region defined in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Act, 2022 (Karnataka Act 6 of 2023), the District Road Safety Committee of the concerned districts shall be the Monitoring agencies. The Monitoring Agency shall be responsible for implementing these rules, ensuring that standards for nonmotorized transport users and pedestrians are implemented for all roads in the District and shall coordinate efforts between different departments to ensure regulation of activities and access of non-motorised transport and pedestrians to public places.
• After Chapter VI and entries relating thereunder, the following new chapter shall be inserted, namely:-
“Chapter VI-A DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE STANDARDS FOR ROADS
231F. Implementing and Monitoring Agencies.- (1) The concerned road owning agency shall be the 'Implementing Agency' for the purposes of these rules, responsible for the design, construction and maintenance measures as per the prescribed standards for such roads under its jurisdiction.
(2) Monitoring Agency:
(i) The Motor Vehicles Department shall be the ‘State Monitoring Agency' for implementing these rules and shall coordinate efforts between different departments to ensure compliance on the design, construction and maintenance standards prescribed under this Chapter; and
(ii) The District Road Safety Committee shall be the District Monitoring Agency for the purposes of these rules, responsible for ensuring that prescribed road standards are implemented for all roads in the District.
They shall come into force from April 08, 2026.
Any objection or suggestion which may be received by the State Government from any person with respect to the said draft before the expiry of 30 (thirty) days from the date of its publication in the official Gazette, will be considered by the State Government. Objections and suggestions may be addressed to the Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Room No. 123, Ground Floor, MS Building, 3rd Gate, DR|| B.R AmbedkarVeedhi, Bengaluru-560 001.
[Notification No. TD 147 TDO 2025]
