Civic squad restores basement car parks

Civic squad restores basement car parks
Deccan Herald

Saturday was pack-up time for many shops, hotels and beauty parlours in Jayanagar, BTM Layout, N R Colony and Chandra Layout — all housed in the basement parking lots of residential apartments.

An eviction squad comprising Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force officials raided buildings in these neighbourhoods and found that the parking spaces there had something for everyone — computer centres, eateries, beauty parlours and the like.

“We cleared encroachments in about 12 buildings, which have basement parking space for 110 cars. Parking lots in buildings across the city are being used to run commercial establishments which is against building bylaws,” asserted BMP officials.


Similar drives will soon be launched in all arterial roads, said a BMP official. As per the building bylaw of 2003, effective since June 2004, no basement shall be used for purposes other than parking and storing machines used for maintenance work.

Next in line are Jayanagar, Basavanagudi and Binnypet. BMP officials say they have at least 70 cases of building (basement parking) violations reported by the ward engineers and the Standing Committee on Town Planning and Development. “The misuse of basement parking area is a violation of the building bylaw. It also leads to major traffic problems as residents are forced to park their vehicles on the roadside, said officials.

“As per the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act 1976, Section 32 (1), we issue a provisional order asking building owners to vacate the basement area. Seven days later, if the basement is not free for parking, we issue a confirmatory order and start demolition or eviction of the shops. The problem is rampant and needs to be phased out,” they added.