Residents oppose creation of parking lot on Ulsoor Lake bund

Residents oppose creation of parking lot on Ulsoor Lake bund

The Hindu

BMP official fails to allay fears of citizens about air pollution in the area


BANGALORE: Residents on Wednesday opposed the move of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike providing parking facility on a temporary basis on the Ulsoor Lake bund. The BMP wants to go for temporary parking till it completes the work of building a new parking area on the storm water drain abutting the lake bund.

Twenty people expressed their opposition before the BMP officials, including Joint Commissioner (Works) Harsh Gupta.

Patrick Antony, a retired Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board official, said allowing parking on the lake bund would affect people using the lake bund for morning and evening walks. The ingress and exit of vehicles would cause more inconvenience as there would be a lot of dust and the area would be get polluted. Ulsoor Lake was one of the few lung spaces available for the people staying in the area.

Another elderly person expressed apprehension that the delay in carrying out the work would lead to the temporary measure becoming permanent. "You say this as a temporary measure. After some time when the administration changes the temporary measure would become permanent," he said.

The residents questioned why the BMP was using the lake bund when there was space near Gurudwara.

The residents pointed out to a Karnataka High Court decision barring any activity on the lake bund. "If you go ahead with the plan, we have no alternative but to approach the High Court. We will not allow any activity on the Ulsoor Lake bund," another resident N. Rajanna told Mr. Gupta. Mr. Gupta said the proposed parking facility was for those coming to places including Commercial Street and Dickenson Road for shopping. The BMP in association with traders of Commercial Street would provide shuttle service from the spot. The new parking facility would be ready in eight months, he said.

Till the BMP built the new parking area, it would make use of the land abutting the storm water drain for parking vehicles.

"This is to study the demand. We are not in any way obstructing the walkway. The land used for temporary parking facility is not a part of Ulsoor Lake bund," Mr. Gupta told the residents.

When his reply did not convince the residents, Mr. Gupta asked the residents to send their representatives to discuss alternatives. "We need your cooperation for not only building the new parking area but also to beautify the lake," Mr. Gupta said.