Residents oppose move to use footpath for parking

Residents oppose move to use footpath for parking
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Residents in the 8th Main Road in Sadashivanagar’s RMV Extension are up against the Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) for turning the footpath into a parking slot.

The BCC workers started pulling out the cement cobblestones from the neatly laid footpath on Tuesday, beginning from the Sankey Tank side. Though they began the work near 4th Cross Road on Wednesday morning, the BCC men were forced to put a halt as the residents voiced protest.

Former BDA chairman K.K. Murthy, who resides at the corner of the 4th Cross Road, says the BCC move is against the rules. “As per by-laws, they should leave at least 10 feet from the drain to the road. Only that space can be used as footpath.

The existing footpath is not 10 feet wide. They are planning to cover the 3-ft wide drain to convert it into footpath. BCC has not conducted a detailed study and no senior officers had visited the place. This is a hastily taken decision,” he told this paper.

“This is going to disrupt the water, power and telephone connections along with the drainage system. There will be hardly any space left for the pedestrians to walk,” pointed out V.M. Krishnamurthy, another resident of the area.

When contacted, BCC officials said that the Corporation was making use of the footpath space for parking the large number of vehicles frequenting the Sankey Tank. “The residential area does not have much traffic except for hundreds of vehicles frequenting the tank.

In fact, not many people are making use of the footpath. We can reduce the parking congestion and enhance the carrying capacity of the road by utilising the footpath space,” they reasoned.

According to Technical Advisor to BCC, Jayaprasad, the BCC is making parking space from Shivaji Statue Circle towards Palace Orchards upto Sankey Tank entrance.

“We are not violating any rules. We will ensure that there is enough space for footpath after covering the drains. Absolute minimum asphalting will be done and there will be no disturbance for the electric, telephone and power connections to the houses.

No tree will be chopped and no electric pole will be relocated. Parking space will be adjusted between trees and poles only,” he said.