If you are a regular Namma Metro user who never manages to find space to park your vehicle at the stations in the mornings, there is good news.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has put an end to overnight parking at all their stations. Parking will now only be allowed till the time the last train arrives at the stations with a buffer of around half an hour.
They arrived at this decision after noticing a loophole in their parking system, which was being exploited by their contractors.
According to officials, the space was being used by vehicle owners living next to Namma Metro stations, who faced a lack of parking space in their own houses. For around ₹1,800 a month, they could park their vehicles at the stations and also be assured that they would be watched over by security guards.
“Many actual commuters would show up in the morning to find the parking lots full, as those who parked vehicles overnight would not remove their vehicles before 10 a.m. This forced Metro users to park their vehicles on the road or find alternatives while those who did not use our services used the stations as their parking lots,” a senior BMRCL official said.
According to the official, the parking contractors charge ₹30 for parking for an entire day. For parking overnight, they were charging ₹60. For many vehicle owners, this would be a more feasible option as against parking on the road overnight, which is risky in many parts of the city.
“The licensee was making a lot of money this way. Also, there is a certain amount of security risk in allowing vehicles to be parked overnight,” he said.
The sight of packed parking lots as early as 8 a.m. had become a regular occurrence for commuters at Nayandahalli, Baiyappanahalli, Nagasandra and some other stations. “The Nayandahalli station has a huge parking lot, but it has already become tough to find parking space there. I can only imagine what would happen once the entire Phase I is operational,” said Roshni Singh, a resident of Kengeri.
Bad move for those who work late: Commuters
However, the move is drawing criticism from commuters who often end up working late in office. “It is not safe for me to drive home post 11 p.m. I would often take a cab from office and then pick up my vehicle the next day. Now, this will not be possible. I will be forced to park my bike elsewhere,” said Aarti S., who lives near Baiyappanahalli Metro station.
BMRCL officials express helplessness. “We thought of insisting that those who park overnight show a Metro travel card. But these are cheap and can be easily bought by those who don't use the Metro,” the official said. “What we have done is allowed a buffer of half-an-hour after the last train arrives at the station for commuters to remove their vehicles from the parking lot.”
Post that, the instructions given to the parking contractors are clear: inform the police and get the vehicle towed away.
