Cong pulls out all stops for free parking

Cong pulls out all stops for free parking
The Times of India

Bangalore: If the ruling Congress in the BMP Council has its way, free parking on city roads will continue. Ruling Congress leader H Ravindra on Monday said they will stick to the decision of scrapping the pay-and-park system. The BMP top brass, however, is yet to take a decision whether to reintroduce the system.

“We will stick to the ban on pay-andpark system. The BMP can hold a dialogue with the state in this regard,’’
Ravindra said while addressing the council during the discussion on Friday’s BMP budget. He said some groups had monopoly over contracts and were involved in largescale fraud. “Some of them who monopolise get permission for one road and use the same tickets for several roads. There is nobody to check the system,’’ he added.

While calling for a need to revamp BMP’s legal department, which Ravindra said was not working in BMP’s interest, he said the department plays an important role in checking illegal hoardings, fraud in the pay-and-park system and also in recovery of taxes. While also charging revenue officers with blatant violations, he sought to set revenue targets for their respective jurisdictions. “Property worth lakhs is in BMP’s jurisdiction. Property tax and fines for various violations can be recovered only if the legal department is efficient,’’ Ravindra added.

On the proposal to set up a slaughter house with an allocation of Rs 10 crore, Ravindra asked authorities to work out the logistics including transport of the produce for nearly 30 km into the city.

While welcoming most of the initiatives in the budget, the Congress leader also sought better monitoring of salary disbursement to pourakarmikas, digging of roads by other civic agencies and to draw up a ward-wise development review report every fortnight.

The opposition leaders however said the BMP budget lacked new ideas and termed it old wine in a new cask. He also said that appointment of deputy commissioners had been delayed. He demanded that a ward-wise property list be prepared. Nanjundappa sought a clarification from the BMP commissioner on loans availed for various projects and also suggested that the BMP take over slums from the Slum Board.

Discussion on budget will continue.

ON THE AGENDA

Metro Rail infrastructure: Opposition BJP leader in the BMP council, A H Basavaraj, sought to know if BMP was working in tandem with BMRC with regard to service roads and other infrastructure alongside the Metro Rail.

While stating there was no budgetary allocation for any infrastructure in connection with the Metro Rail, Basavaraj sought to know if BMP had held a meeting with BMRC officials. “Service roads and other infrastructure is needed along the Metro Rail route. There has been no mention of it in the budget,’’ Basavaraj said. He also sought a list of loans availed by BMP and details on how feasible it was to take up projects along with revenue earned by BMP.