Parking fee may be reintroduced

Parking fee may be reintroduced

The Hindu

BMP unable to make up for revenue loss

# BMP officials in favour of the proposal
# Revenue loss estimated at Rs. 5 crores
# Allowing free parking under hoardings has not yielded results

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) is thinking of considering reintroducing the pay-and-park scheme, which was scrapped from April 1 by the former Mayor R. Narayanaswamy.

Sources in the BMP told The Hindu on Monday that discussions are on at the highest level to get the scheme back. "It is inevitable for the BMP to reintroduce the scheme as it has not been able to chalk out alternative measures to make up for the revenue loss."

Sources said BMP Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam is keen on getting the scheme back. The Commissioner is reportedly worried over the annual revenue loss of over Rs. 5 crores.

After the scheme was abandoned, he has received several complaints about illegal collection of parking fee from motorists, sources said. Even the Mayor Mumtaz Begum has said that the scheme can be brought back if people wanted it.

"Levy of parking fee is common throughout the world. Besides generating revenue, it will enable disciplined parking and help in traffic regulation. If the withdrawal has not helped motorists, we realise it was a foolish decision to scrap the scheme," is the official argument now.

The then Commissioner of Police S. Mariswamy had objected to the withdrawal of the scheme.

He had written to Mr. Jothiramalingam urging him not to scrap the scheme, as it will lead to an increase in theft of vehicles.

Right from its inception in October 2000, the scheme evoked criticism from all quarters. There were complaints about harassment by parking contractors and attendants and fee being collected illegally without giving the official ticket.

The scheme became controversial when officials allegedly connived with the contractors and allowed them to collect fee from motorists on roads other than the 144 identified ones. The Bharatiya Janata Party members had launched a crusade against the scheme and it was dropped from April 1, 2005.