Parking Chakkar 3: Residency Road, Richmond Road

Madness unlimited, that’s the story
RICHMOND ROAD/ RESIDENCY ROAD
Times of India

Bangalore: Festive season or not, it’s no more a walk in the park finding parking space today, especially near shopping malls, offices, pubs or discotheques. A drink at a pub or shopping at malls on Residency Road and around also means a long trudge to your destination, sometimes from Kamaraj Road or the football stadium.

Office-goers and shoppers make a beeline for the crammed parking zones. While shopping malls and restaurants have inadequate parking facilities, adjoining bylanes and even pavements are packed. During weekends, both shoppers and traffic policemen face a harrowing time. While two-wheelers can be squeezed into narrow bylanes, car users have to circle the area looking for space. Though parking has been allowed on short stretches on Residency Road, burgeoning traffic makes regulation difficult.

1 Main problems:
Offices, commercial establishments do not have adequate parking facilities.
Parking lots on Convent Road, Hayes Road, Campbell Road, Castle Street, Rest House Road are crammed. Vehicles also parked in residential areas of Neelasandra and Austin Town.
Haphazard parking on short stretches on Residency Road, pavements converted into parking lots in the evening.
Malls like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and Bangalore Central, pubs and discos draw crowds, specially during weekends.
Parking banned on Commissariat Road, Magrath Road and Markham Road.

2 Some respite:
Parking allowed near Cotton’s Complex and back gate of Bishop Cotton Girls’ School, and part of Commissariat Road behind football stadium.
•Multi-storied mechanised parking complex for 800 cars coming up on Magrath Road.
•One-way proposal for Residency Road and Richmond Road — parking could be allotted on one side.

3 What the police say: Roads are already congested, no more roads for parking.
•Magrath Road parking complex expected to help.
•Shopping malls and other establishments should provide parking bays.
•Adequate personnel deployed, especially during weekends, to regulate traffic.

4 Shoppers suggest: We have to walk from MG Road or Kamaraj Road to Lifestyle. Parking can be allowed with strict enforcement on Magrath Road, Commissariat Road and Markham Road. This will avoid cramming of bylanes and help flow of traffic. — Praveen, resident of Richmond Town.

EXPERT OPINION

Prof Justo, traffic expert
• Roads are primarily for movement of traffic. Every multi-storied building should have basement parking. Civic authorities should ensure this.
•While parking lots on roads can accommodate short-term parking (visitors), firms should provide parking for employees.
•Automated pay & park system can help.
•Multi-storied parking complexes should come up on available sites.

YOUR VOICE/COMMERCIAL STREET, KAMARAJ ROAD

Following are some suggestions from readers on providing parking space.
Use bus stand for parking: Ban parking on Commercial Street and surrounding areas. Instead use the space in Shivajinagar bus stand. Provide free shuttle service on Commercial Street. Traders can go in for car pool system. Clear the encroachments on pavements and use the basement for parking. — Manjunath, Seppings Road.

Charge on hourly basis:

People should be made to pay for parking in the basement and other parking slots on an hourly basis. Automatically, people will stop parking their vehicles for long hours. Parking tickets should be displayed on the vehicles. — Basheera Khadri, Jayanagar.

Use vacant defence plots:

Defence officials must allow parking of vehicles in their vacant plots around Commercial Street. This will help city a lot. — Johnson George, St Marks Road.