Every house needs some parking space

Every house needs some parking space
The Hindu

Many buildings in Bangalore do not have this provision and vehicles are parked on roads, says MALLIKARJUN SWAMY



ENCROACHMENT?: Vehicles being parked outside compound walls is a common scene in Bangalore.

There is no space to park vehicles in many houses/apartments in Bangalore. Builders do not make provision for this in order to "save" space. This has forced people to park their vehicles on the road. And safety of the vehicles is the casualty.

"Every day, my car gets damaged in one way or the other. Someone punctures the wheels just because I park it on the roadside," says Nishant, a J.P. Nagar resident. Harish, a resident of HBR Layout, lost his motorbike that he had parked on the roadside. "Parking your vehicle inside the compound of your house is always safe. If you park it on the roadside, it can be stolen easily," he says.

Raghavendra, a resident of Jayanagar 9th Block, lives in a rented house. He says that his owner has not provided adequate parking space. "I get up twice or thrice in the night just to see whether my bike is still there."

This is a common problem for people who live in rented houses anywhere in the city today.

`Waste of space'

Many building owners do not see the importance of it. For example, Nagendra, who has rented out 10 houses, says "I would rather construct a room and give it on rent instead of wasting the space for parking."

Rash driving by other vehicle users too can cause damage to your vehicle if you park them on the roadside. The solution is simple. Every house should have adequate parking space. The size of the space depends on the number of vehicles in a building. If there are many, basement parking is a good choice, says Sudhakar Lodaga, architect. It is advisable to keep the entire basement for parking if more than five houses are rented out, he says.

"Due to increase in the land value, people do not want to waste their space for parking," says Sudhakar. He says that only 70 per cent of a site should be used for constructing a house and the remaining should be utilised for parking, ventilation and for gardens.

You can park two cars and a motorcycle in a space of 16x16 ft., says Ravi, a contractor. And in a space of 16x12 ft. you can sufficiently park one car and three motorcycles.

"In a site measuring 30x40, the house owner should leave a minimum space of 10x12 ft. for parking," says Ravi. The space increases as the dimension of the site increases.

Compulsory

Providing parking space is also compulsory for other types of buildings like commercial complexes, apartments and theatres as per the Government rules.

If you are constructing a house of two or three floors in a site measuring 30x40 or 40x60, a minimum parking space of 12x16 ft. will be an intelligent choice. In this space you can park at least a car along with two or three motorcycles.

Another alternative is the basement. And you can design your portico (entrance) without giving too much of space for parking if you go in for basement parking. Also consider the possible future expansions in mind while constructing the ground floor.

Plan the ground floor in such way that you do not regret later. Many people who take houses on a monthly rent of more than Rs. 4,000 nowadays usually own cars.

Those constructing apartments may plan for space to accommodate visitors' vehicles.

# You can park two cars and a motorcycle in a space of 16x16 ft. and one car and three motorcycles in an area of 16x12 ft.

# Parking space of 12x16 ft is ideal in a multi-storeyed house on a 30x40 or 40x60 site.

# The basement is a good option for parking vehicles in apartments.