Pay-and-park system in Mysuru’s Central Business District meets with opposition

Mysuru: It appears as though the Mysuru City Corporation’s (MCC) plan to implement pay-and-park system in the Central Business District (CBD) is likely to face more than just teething issues – many activists and members of pro-Kannada organisations have threatened to launch an agitation against such a move. Mysuru mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath said that the system would be implemented in the city only after collecting feedback from the public, and an approval in the MCC council.
Previous attempts at engaging private firms to operate the pay-and-park system having failed, the MCC is planning on inviting tenders for the sixth time. While the civic agency is keen on ensuring parking in the CBD is streamlined and systematic, activists and prominent citizens fear that the new system might end up adversely impacting operations of the shops along D Devaraj Urs Road and Sayyajirao Road.

A group of activists held a meeting on Wednesday, and have decided to take up the issue with the authorities concerned.

Historian Nanjaraj Urs, who is also opposed to the project, said that the MCC must make alternative arrangements for parking for owners and employees of shops along the two commercial thoroughfares in the heart of Mysuru. “Until the legal issues that have halted work on the Town Hall parking facility are sorted out, the vacant space at the under-construction facility can be used by both two- and four-wheelers. The space near the Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda) and Radhakrishnan Road near the Institute of Engineers can also be used for parking. Instead of collecting parking fee on an hourly basis, motorists must be charged Rs 2 for two-wheelers and Rs 5 for four-wheelers irrespective of how long they are parked,” said Urs, adding that he would speak to MCC commissioner KH Jagadeesh about the issue.

“I will request the MCC commissioner not to implement the pay-and-park system since it will end up becoming an additional burden on the people, who are already paying taxes,” the historian said.

Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath assured citizens and activists that they would not take a unilateral decision on the issue, and would consult the public before going ahead with it. “We will collect public opinion, and get approval at the council meeting,” Pushpalatha told TOI.