Parking woes are overwhelming Bangaloreans

Parking? Not here!
Parking woes are overwhelming Bangaloreans, hampering their mobility. Solutions must be futuristic, say experts
The Times of India

PICTURE this. Cars lining every Bangalore road, not just end to end, but one on top of the other! A scene from a sci-fi thriller? No, a realistic vision of the city’s parking scenario just five years from now, according to Prof MN Sreehari, traffic advisor to the state government.

The number of vehicles on Bangalore roads (4 lakh to date) is increasing alarmingly, with 950 added daily, of which 250 are cars. Parking spaces are at a premium, not just in major shopping areas, but in every bylane. Bangalore traffic increases at 22 per cent each year, says Sreehari. It just cannot handle this many vehicles.

• “I’d once parked along a house on Rest House Road — though not blocking the gate. There’s no designated parking here. The house owner came, said it was his private space, that I couldn’t park. Since I’d seen a car windscreen smashed there earlier, I removed my car and drove away.” Aslam Gafoor, hospitality manager.

• “Once, near Commercial Street, my parked car was blocked on either side by cars — despite a parking attendant present. The only way into my car was through a hole in the roof! I waited 45 minutes till the car owners returned.” Anil Abraham, dermatologist.

• “I parked my car in a bylane off 100 feet Road, Indiranagar, and one of the bouncers of a well-known restaurant there came out saying that space was their own private parking. But this was regular roadside parking! When he said he’d damage my car if I didn’t move it, I did so. But being threatened by a bouncer in the restaurant owner’s presence was upsetting.” Gautam Kalra, brand consultant.

What’s the problem?
Discipline: “Half the problem lies with people like us,” admits Gafoor, “We take our cars out all the time, even to go down the road. Before finding fault with infrastructure, we should discipline ourselves.”

Blocked roads: “I’m in a residential area which has offices in every bylane. Some cars park here all day. I often have to park really far away and trek to my home,” says Abraham.

Call centre choke-up:
“Call centre vehicles, mostly SUVs, are parked on every bylane 24/7, occupying legitimate parking space,” says Gafoor, “There must be rules against this.”
Park where you like:

Parking is allowed on both sides of the road, cutting road space by two-thirds. Commercial buildings after getting approval for basement parking, convert it into shops, says Sreehari. No stringent action is taken against defaulters.

Solve it!

Get tough: Traffic needs strict regulating, and the police should keep a close watch for violations like public space grabbing for private use, says Gafoor. “Parking in key areas should be designated,” says Kalra, “Before giving out licences to commercial establishments, the government should ensure adequate parking is available. We pay such high taxes in Karnataka. For what?” The corporation must be quick to act. Don’t just fine defaulters, prosecute them, says Sreehari.

Valet parking: It’s a must for those places which don’t have adequate parking, says Kalra. “Insufficient parking is a deterrent at parties I’ve organised. People call me to say,’I can’t find a parking spot, so I’m leaving.’ If you throw a party for 200 guests, where do you park?”

Investigate the matter: Study other countries’ solutions to parking issues, suggests Abraham. In multistorey parking lots in Germany, for instance, a fork-lift system parks your car and brings it back when you punch a button. This would eliminate vandalism and nasty parking attendants.

Sreehari has recently returned from Singapore and Dubai, places where land transport authorities function independently of the government. “Ministers, therefore can’t interfere, and there’s a long-term vision which is implemented irrespective the government in power.”

Look to the long term, says Sreehari. “Build multistorey parking spaces, create underground parking, and every home, however small, should include parking space,” he suggests.