Private buses choking roads

NEW MENACE IN THE CITY
Private buses choking roads
Decccan Herald

In space-strapped Bangalore roads, there’s a new menace to dodge- parked private buses.

In space-strapped Bangalore roads, there’s a new menace to dodge- parked private buses. This, when the private bus operators have been suggested to use two dedicated parking spaces- one at Jakkarayanakere and the other behind the City Railway Station. A night drive down Palace Road, Kanakadasa Road, Seshadri Road, Anand Rao Circle or Race Course Road could leave you struggling to wade through these make-shift parking lots.

A senior Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) official says the bus operators are avoiding the dedicated parking lots because they are pay-and-park spaces. “The KSRTC and the BMTC pay cess to the civic authorities and the same authorities, along with the police, allow the private bus operators to violate the rules,” he says.

According to a senior traffic police officer, private buses parked on already choked roads add to the clamour and considerably hinder traffic. As many as 50 buses are parked on these roads everyday, says the officer.

Operators slam high fee: Private bus operators trace the issue to the heavy parking fees prescribed by the government at the two dedicated parking lots. They say that the Rs 10-per-hour parking fee, coupled with the space’s maintenance costs, drain their profits from the business.

“The police had banned the parking of private buses in front of Kempe Gowda Bus Stand and City Railway Station without giving a proper alternative parking space. The space which was proposed by the government had very high parking and maintenance fees which many private bus operators could not afford,” says Zabeer, owner of a private bus company. He says the bus operators are left with no choice but to park the buses on roads that are in the centre of the City.

“We will park our buses in allocated spaces if the government prescribes affordable rates,” says Mahesh, another private bus owner. The shortage of parking space is an issue increasingly typical to the central zone of the City. While a number of comprehensive traffic and transportation studies have been carried out in the City, a solution to the issue seems elusive.

City planners feel that enhanced parking facilities, a strict check on parking violations and lesser prices of parking spaces for private buses are imperative while addressing the problem.

PUBLIC INTEREST

Additional Commissioner of Traffic M N Reddi says private operators have been allowed to park buses on the roads in the central area of the City, taking into account the interests of the public. “Private buses are also public transport vehicles which ply long distances. The convenience of the public should also be taken into account,” he says.

He says private buses are allowed to park on roads only during night time, when the traffic is less. Mr Reddi adds that the police have been suggesting to the civic authorities to make alternative parking arrangements for private buses.