Existing parking lots paint a dirty picture
By Express News Service | Published: 31st October 2017 02:46 AM |
Last Updated: 31st October 2017 11:58 AM | A+A A- |
While vehicle owners suffer for want of parking facilities, seized autorickshaws are parked at the BBMP multi-level parking lot on JC Road | jithendra m
BENGALURU: While BBMP has shown much interest in smart onstreet parking, its own multi-storeyed vehicle parking places and other parking slots maintained by the civic body lie neglected. In 2005, a multi-storeyed vehicle parking came up at Maharaja Complex on KG Road and BVK Iyengar Road Junction that could accommodate 400 cars. The same year, similar parking facility was inaugurated at JC Road. Thought Kempegowda Complex parking lot is being utilised well, JC Road parking area is in a bad state.
“It has turned into a garage for the nearby auto repair shop owners, who pay some amount to the one who looks after parking here. Despite several notices, the practice has not stopped. They have the bigwigs’ support too,’’ said a BBMP official on the condition of anonymity.
The vehicle parking at KR Market also portrays a dirty picture. The basement where vehicles are parked is filled with garbage and tobacco stains. Cattle also regularly take shelter here. When it rains, water gets collected. One can find more push carts and tempos parked here than public vehicles,’’ said Mani, a vendor.
Rajesh R T, a regular visitor, said it is dark inside, sometimes scary to enter especially in the evening hours. “Why cannot they ensure a clean and safe premises? We pay and park here,’’ he added.
At some of the busy roads like Sampige Road in Malleshwaram, in and around Jayanagar 4th Block Complex, Gandhi Bazaar Main Road, the problem of parking reaches peak during the festive season. People are then forced to park their vehicles in front of houses nearby, causing inconvenience to the local residents.
BBMP Taxation and Finance Committee Chairman M K Gunashekar told Express that they have proposed to convert many of the dead market areas in city into multi-storeyed vehicle parkings.
“Officials are preparing the report,” he said. When asked about the special focus on smart parking, he added: “Once the smart parking facility is in place, we shall extend the same facilities to all the parking areas,’’ he said.
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