BMP driven into jam on free parking issue

BMP driven into jam on free parking issue

With no information forthcoming from the BMP over the issue, the Parking Contractors’ Association has decided to stage a protest on April 1.

Deccan Herald

With the government taking its time to give a go ahead to the free pay and park system in the City, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) is now in a muddle on whether to terminate the existing parking contract or continue with it.

Though BMP Commissioner Jothiramalingam and Mayor R Narayanaswamy have stated that parking fee will not be collected from April 1, no action has been taken on terminating the contracts, despite the fact that only two days are left for the free parking regime to come into effect.

According to sources, the BMP is still waiting for a final word from the government, especially in the wake of recommendations from Home Secretary Brahma Dutt to Chief Minister N Dharam Singh that the pay and park system should be retained in the interests of smooth traffic movement.

Though the BMP had initially promised to put in place an alternative system, it has now refused to do anything on the issue of regulating vehicle parking.

Bangalore City Vehicle Parking Contractors’ Association Secretary B Padmanabha told Deccan Herald that the BMP so far has not officially informed the contractors about terminating the contract. “The BMP has so far has not given us any information. Therefore, we have decided to stage a protest against the BMP on April 1,” he added.

However, parking fee will be collected at all BMP multi-storey parking complexes, commercial complexes and on Brigade Road and Commercial Street.



Public wrath’

Contractors to stop collection

BANGALORE, DHNS: The Parking Contractors’ Association has decided to voluntarily stop collecting parking fee from April 1, irrespective of whether the BMP terminates the contract or not, according to association secretary Mr Padmanabha.

“We do not want to go against the BMP Council’s decision. Moreover, we will have to face the people’s wrath if we continue to collect the fee,” he said.