Visiting a shop or a restaurant in Indiranagar, Jayanagar or Koramangala could often mean having to scout for parking space on the roadside. Local residents, who are already complaining about increasing commercialisation, accuse owners of commercial complexes of renting out the basement, which is meant for parking, to shops. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) mandates all buildings to have some sort of parking infrastructure.
“Once can see several shops in the basement of commercial complexes on 100 feet road as well as C.M.H. Road. Their patrons end up parking their vehicles on the already congested roads,” said a resident.
Similar complaints have come from Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Jayanagar as well. “Many complexes have give space in basements on rent. It is easy to spot such places in Jayanagar 4th block. Even some choultries and kalyana mantapas show basement parking in the plan, but later convert them into dining halls,” said a resident of Jayanagar.
However, N.S. Ramamohan, Secretary, CMH Road Shops and Establishments Association blamed Namma Metro for the mess on Indiranagar’s roads. “Almost all the buildings have basement parking. The problem is the metro. Almost all the vehicles being parked on C.M.H. Road belong to metro commuters. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. should provide parking as well, like at Mysuru Road metro station,” he added.
Police say their hands are tied. R. Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), pointed out that parking on the road, for whatever reason, reduces the carrying capacity. “But ours is only an advisory role and we cannot act on building plan violations,” he said.
Officials of the BBMP’s Town Planning Department, however, claimed they have not received any complaint. “If we get specific complaints, notices will be issued to such buildings,” said an official.
The BBMP’s pay-and-park proposal, aimed at de-congesting roads, has remained on paper.
BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said tenders were called last year, but there was no response. “Tenders will be called again,” he added. Newly elected Mayor G. Padmavathi has promised to take the proposal forward.
The problem is
felt the most
in Indiranagar, Jayanagar and Koramangala
